Targeted
by Nature9000
Summary: After insulting a mafia leader, Beck's pregnant girlfriend and their friends are abducted. He must race against the clock to rescue them. Without police intervention and left to his own devices, can he truly rescue them, or is this all a trap by one of the town's most dangerous families? What secrets will he discover, and will the group survive their most harrowing experience yet?
1. Red Card

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N: This story takes place during one of Beck and Jade's breakups, it will make more story-sense as the tale progresses

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Chapter 1 (Red Card)

An awkward air surrounded them as they sat around the kitchen table, each holding a pair of cards in their hands and eyeing them carefully as if to ignore the elephant in the room. For Beck, it was impossible; and all he could focus on was the dark haired girl seated across from him.

Jade acted like she didn't care that it was over, but he knew it was just a ruse from a girl trying to act tough. It was the reason for the breakup, she never acted like herself and always put on a tough front. He knew why, even, she was still upset with Tori-even all this time later.

She hated how Tori looked at him, how Tori spoke to him, and even went so far as to accuse their friend of trying to steal him from her. He initially wanted to befriend the girl to show Jade that the new girl wasn't all that bad, and so far Tori seemed to be just fine-but Jade just couldn't get over her jealous, threatened nature, and Beck was fed up with it to the point he was giving up.

Jade used to be such a great judge of character, but ever since Tori's act of vindication during that small impromptu drama lesson in Sikowitz's class, she'd lost all sense of rationale and reasoning.

"Beck?" Jade didn't bother looking from her cards. Her right cheek was sucked in and her eyebrows were heavy over her eyes. "Beck, it's your play."

"Dude." Andre nudged him sharply in the side, making him flinch. He glared sideways at Andre and cleared his throat. "You're staring. Are you going to play? You're making everybody uncomfortable."

Beck glanced at the four cards on the table. There was an Ace of diamonds, a King of clubs, a four of diamonds and a ten of Hearts. Looking back at his hand, he had a ten of spades and a Jack of clubs. If he wanted to continue playing, he had to go all in.

He was riding on the pair of tens, but if a queen popped up, he could win. Clearing his throat, Beck pushed his final chips into the pot and closed his eyes. "I'm all in, sorry for the hold up."

His mind wasn't on the game, it was on his girlfriend; or at least, his ex-girlfriend. He hated that they weren't together and hoped this would just be a dry spell. Beck prayed Jade could see that she was being unreasonable and that she could get over her petty grudge; he hoped this breakup would be a wakeup call for her.

Robbie set the next card down and Beck's eyebrows went up slightly, it was an Ace of spades. "Damn it." The others started to reveal their cards, then all eyes fell onto Tori's. She had a pair of aces in the hole as it was; the Ace of hearts and the Ace of clubs. "Holy shit!"

"Good hand, Tori!" Cat pat Tori's shoulder and the girl smirked as she pulled in the chips. Beck threw his cards into the pile of discarded cards and pushed back his chair with a sigh.

"With that, I'm out." He moved over to the couch where Trina was reading through a large book. She had on a leg cast and her eyes looked as though they were directing fire to the pages she was reading. "Hey."

He rarely acknowledged her, but he was bored and she was the only one not paying attention to something. "What do you want?" Trina refused to look up, though her speech was candid and civil. "Make fun of me a bit more?"

"Ouch. You act like we pick on you regularly."

"You do." The most recent insult to Trina was yet another incident caused by Robbie. He told Beck and Andre about the stage incident where he cut Trina's harness, but this time Trina annoyed him by ignoring him somehow. In her defense, he'd taken up 'bad-news-singing' again, and someone hired him to sing a rejection letter sent to her from some party.

What wound up happening as a result was a prank Robbie orchestrated out of revenge for her giving him the cold shoulder-inspired by the old Stephen King movie _Carrie_. Unfortunately it didn't go as planned, the bucket broke from the rope and landed on Trina's leg as she was jumping out of the way. Jade laughed as she always did, videotaped the entire thing, and posted it on youtube.

"So how many times do we have to apologize?"

Trina raised her head for the first time, and if looks could kill, Beck felt for sure he'd be six feet under. "Until you and your friends stop treating me like shit and taking advantage of my sister." He chuckled and raised a hand to his chest.

"How do we take advantage of Tori?"

Trina stared at him for several seconds before slowly closing her book. A lump formed in Beck's throat as the girl sat upright and narrowed her eyes. "You don't think I see it? Jade pretends to give a damn just to make you happy while you prance about my sister." Beck sighed as the elder sister's words twisted around him like a snake ready to sink its venomous teeth into him. "You've made her popular, and now you're all popular, so you're still hanging about her. Her father's the deputy chief of police now, so you do whatever the fuck you want and my dad just looks the other way…"

He leaned back, tugging on his collar. The temperature in the room was the same, but for some odd reason Beck could have sworn it shot up about twenty extra degrees. "But I will say this: My father is retiring, and there's going to be a new sheriff in town soon."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Trina tossed her book aside and stood from the couch. He couldn't understand why Trina hated them so much, but then he did know she had to be sore when it came to them picking on her so much.

"I'm trying to get them to bother you less, you know. I mean you can't really blame me all that much, can you?" He leaned back as she rolled her eyes and walked away. His lip tucked under his teeth and he glanced at the book, _Catcher in the Rye_ , with a deep breath he shook his head. "Who am I kidding? I'm part of the problem."

Hell, he was almost as bad as the others when it came to disrespecting Trina and her family, and he knew it. It was time for a change, and he was trying to get the others to realize that; but part of him worried it might be too late.

If anything, Tori could convince her family that her friends were okay. Maybe she could help the remaining Vegas to forgive them.

Trina stopped a few feet away and turned around, her cat-like eyes falling on him like a hot knife. "Oh Beck." He folded his arms across his stomach and raised his eyes, pouting his lower lip. "If Tori hasn't told you yet, our uncle is coming to visit the states, he is bringing his family. You and your group need to make yourself scarce."

"Why?"

"Do we need a reason? Mom and dad would prefer not to have any outside guests." Trina put her hands to her hips and arched her right eyebrow. "Or can you guys not respect our family enough to take a simple request like that?" He rolled his eyes and looked away, grumbling under his breath.

"It's not always about you, you know."

"What did you say?"

He looked back at her and shrugged. "You're always having to be center of attention, it's kind of annoying, and kind of why people pick on you." Trina leaned back sharply, her lips thinning against each other.

"And yet you and your group enjoy being in the spotlight so much." She crossed her arms and turned around, her hair flying high behind her. "I'll be sure to let Dad know you guys might show up uninvited like you do so many times. In our home country, at least for my family, it is a huge slap across the face to have unwelcome guests during a time devoted solely to an entire family gathering."

"Unwelcome? Dude, we're friends of the family."

Trina paused, shrugged, then continued to walk on. "Sure. You are friends of the family, but my father does not want you here; and quite frankly, neither do I." She walked off, moving like a slow storm cloud in the sky. Beck exhaled and jumped when Tori stepped next to him.

"Don't mind her." Tori smiled bright, her eyes glinting under the living room lights. He smiled gently and sank further into the couch. "She's just having a bad day lately. At least her leg is getting better."

"Sure." Trina was limping as she walked, and no longer needed crutches, so that was a good sign. "I guess she's got a right to be mad at us."

"Yeah, she'll get over it. She often does." Tori pat him on the shoulder and ruffled his hair, causing him to flinch in surprise. When he looked at Jade, the girl scoffed and turned away. "Anyway, guess what!"

"What?"0

"Sikowitz was telling us something about this wealthy couple staying at his sister's hotel. I was thinking we could all go perform for them. Make a lot of money." Beck raised his eyebrows while the group cheered the idea.

He agreed, there was nothing wrong with a little extra money to pocket. He smiled and nodded at Tori, grateful for the idea. "Think they'll tip well?" She put her hands in front of her waist and grinned with confidence.

"Hopefully! I mean hell, if they do, even splitting it amongst all of us would still be great." Jade walked up, looking unconvinced and irritable as ever.

"I don't like the sound of it. I mean sure, it's nice and all, but since when do we play gigs for tourists at hotels?"

"What's wrong with it?" Robbie inquired. He scratched his head and walked around Jade, looking her up and down. "Or are you just shooting it down because it's Tori's idea?" Jade huffed and folded her arms.

"I am not! I just don't like the idea."

"It could earn a lot," Cat chimed in, "Maybe as much as Sam and I make babysitting." Even Andre seemed for it, so eventually Jade uncrossed her arms and gave in, albeit reluctant.

"We'll talk about this later," Beck promised her. He didn't know why she was so uncomfortable with the idea, she usually jumped at any gig that sounded like a great moneymaking opportunity. Hell, Sikowitz himself was able to set it up, so it was just that easy. "But give it a chance, alright Jade?"

"Fine," Jade replied, "But don't come crying to me if something goes wrong." Jade rubbed her stomach and walked towards the stairwell. "I need to use the restroom. Not feeling well." Beck sighed sadly and watched as Jade departed, and surprisingly Cat ran after her as though concerned about something.

The gig came in the following weekend, Beck had a full week to prepare his choreography while the girls practiced their singing and the guys practiced their instrumentals.

He was currently seated in the lobby with Andre, who was practicing on the hotel's grand piano. "You know something, I've been thinking a lot about things lately…" Andre pulled his hands from the keys and turned to face Beck. There was a look of intense contemplation etched upon his face, a look Beck knew all too well.

His oldest friend had always been on the fun side of things, never too serious and often the biggest playboy in the room; but when it came down to the moments when Andre took it down a few notches and became serious, Beck knew it was the best time to pay attention.

Beck set his phone on the table and cleared his throat. "What's up man?" Andre leaned back, folding his arms across his chest.

"Trina's turned eighteen recently, right?" Beck hummed once as Andre raised his hand to his chin. "Tori said something about Trina going to their home country for college-wherever their dad's family is from…in two years, Tori might follow her."

"I'd say there's a good chance of that. Why?"

"Well, it got me thinking." Andre dropped his hand to his knee and looked over his shoulder at the piano. "I've always loved playing on instruments, it's a great hobby but what do I want to do with my future? We've got two years to decide."

"I think we have more than that." No one ever had to decide what they wanted to do right away, and there was even less chance of them figuring that out by the time they went off to college. "You know how many people change majors once they go to college?"

"Yeah. I'm not sure if music is where it's at for me." Andre shook his head, closing the lid over the keys. "Sure it's fun, and I've always been about fun. Parties, girls, whatever it is that's fun, you name it. Maybe it's time to settle down. I mean, you and I, we're the oldest of the group-if you don't count Trina."

"Pretty sure nobody in our group has counted her." He rolled his eyes and Andre let out a heavy sigh. It wasn't meant to be malicious, it was the truth. Trina had never been a full part of their group, and half the time she was around it felt like she was there for Tori. "Sometimes it seems like she's just there to smother Tori, which is kind of why the others push her out sometimes…I mean she's gotta learn to let her little sister have some freedom to spread her wings."

"Yeah, yeah, but beside that." Andre brandished his hand in the air and stood up. "I don't know what I want. Do you? Is acting where you want to go?" Beck frowned, his stomach turned inside and he flicked his eyes over to where Jade was seated across the room with Cat. "I mean, what is it that you want, Beck?"

All these years the only thing he'd ever been sure about was wanting to be with Jade and to spend a lifetime with her, and right now she was all he could focus on. "I'm not even sure anymore. Performing doesn't excite me anymore. Not much does." Andre frowned and followed his gaze.

"I get it man, you're bummed because of your breakup with Jade." Andre pat his shoulder and watched for a moment with him, making the moment feel less creepy than it actually was.

Cat was all over Jade, as though babying her. Even Sam looked annoyed, and she was only there because Cat asked her to be. Jade was brushing makeup on her face, but every few seconds Beck noticed a strain on her face as if she were feeling ill, and her hand was resting on her stomach.

"I hope she's okay, she's been feeling sick all week." Beck pulled his eyes away and sighed. "She won't even look at me though, I feel like an idiot."

"You should talk to her, tell her how you feel."

"I just wanted her to stop acting so threatened and jealous, that's it. That's all I wanted." He ran his hand through his hair and released a stuttering breath. "I want a life with her, but how can that happen if she's constantly judging every single girl that breathes the same air as me?"

"Honestly, it surprises me a bit too." He knew as well as Beck did that Jade hadn't always been this way. She was usually a great judge of character, but ever since Tori stage-kissed him, Jade has been forever against the woman. "I mean it seems like she and Tori are slowly starting to get along again, but there's still that look of spite…honestly I'm wondering when Jade's going to stop feeling like Tori's a threat."

"Who knows?"

"Maybe when you stop breaking up with her over it and letting Tori act all bubbly with you? Hm?" Beck jerked his head back, offended by Andre's suggestion. Andre grabbed a small rag sitting atop the piano and started to wipe it off. "I may not be the best expert on relationships." Beck smirked, causing his friend to roll his eyes. "But even I know when things go too far. Remember I had a small crush on Jade that one time, and you remember how badly that ate at me?"

He grit his teeth. "I remember." Andre told him about it well after the fact, and while it annoyed him at the time, he respected his friend more. However he still didn't like to imagine or think about it. "I also remember you saying you'd never bring it up again." Andre chuckled nervously and shrugged.

"Yeah well, sorry I'm breaking that rule. I'd like to say you almost using Tori as a rebound is a bad move." He closed his eyes, feeling Andre's words like a knife to the heart.

"I was in a bad place then. I told you that. Tori stopped me, remember?"

"I also remember Tori saying she saw the reflection of her laptop on the mirror above the television." Beck furrowed his brow and Andre smacked his lips once. "She saw Jade watching and had to stop you."

"Shit."

"Yeah. Like I said man, you and Jade have some issues to work out." Andre dropped the rag and looked up at the clock. "It's almost show time. We should get ready, I've heard a lot about this couple."

"Oh?"

"I hear they're really powerful in their homeland, so if we want to get noticed, we can't mess this up."

Beck nodded and started to help everyone set up. It didn't take long to get everything in place in the lobby, and when they were ready, the couple had positioned themselves on the couch.

They were well dressed, had well-groomed hair and clean faces. They were middle aged, and the man had what resembled a family ring on his finger. Before they started playing, Tori ran up to them, she had a look of fright on her face and was speaking in a frenzied tone.

"Guys, Mr. Sikowitz just told me something about these guys. We _cannot_ mess this up." Beck raised an eyebrow and Tori continued looking over her shoulder, then back at them. "These guys are a part of some mafia family." Almost immediately Robbie began laughing. Andre and Jade remained quiet while Cat's eyes grew incredibly large.

"You're joking, right?" Robbie asked. "I mean come on, everyone knows the mafia isn't real anymore. It's all gangs."

"It's not like that in other countries," Tori snapped, "They're from Spain, and Sikowitz says they've got ties to the Spanish mafia!"

"Where did he get that information? How do you even know it's accurate?"

"Hey come on!" The man called out with a thick accent. They looked to the man, who was raising his hand and revealing the S on the top of his ring. "Are we going to play or not?"

"That's Raul Sidero." Tori pulled her hair back and shut her eyes. "Part of the Sidero family in Spain, we cannot insult or disrespect him. We have to perform perfectly, pay tribute to his culture and honor him. If we mess up, we're in a lot of trouble."

"How hard can it be?" Robbie laughed and Tori shot him a tense glare. "What is he, a crime boss?"

"No, according to Mr. Sikowitz, he's here because apparently someone in the family is going to become the new head or something. I don't know how accurate the info is, or even how Sikowitz knows all this, but just in case…let's be careful."

That was where it all began to fall apart. The performance went well, with Beck providing some dance moves to Tori's lead singing. Cat and Jade played backup, but almost immediately he could hear the lack of interest in Jade's voice. Andre and Robbie did their best on the instrumentals, and the group tried to ignore the fact that Robbie had set his puppet on the edge of the piano.

It didn't take long for it to happen; but when the incident occurred it was all over in a few swift seconds. Beck had been focused on Jade and there came a moment where she started to lurch, covering up her mouth. Overcome with worry, Beck jumped back in mid dance, striking the piano sharply.

Rex then slid off the piano, striking Robbie's ankle and causing him to fall into Cat, who proceeded to trip over Tori. Tori screamed and flung off the stage, landing roughly in Raul's lap. Her hand grabbed the collar of the dress that the man's wife was wearing and tore it down as she tried to pull herself up.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" Tori cupped her hand over her mouth as the couple shot up from their seats. Beck's eyes grew large as he watched a look of pure rage overcoming the man. "It was an accident, honest!"

"I come to America, and this is how you treat us?" Raul slung his hand out and started to growl as Robbie started his laughing. Beck and Andre already knew their friend enough to recognize the horrible habit Robbie had of laughing when he was nervous or scared; but judging by the offended look upon Raul's face, the man was not taking it that way. "You _laugh_ at me? What is this to you, a joke?"

"N-No," Robbie replied. "Honest, it's not a joke." Right then, Jade pulled her hand from her mouth and threw up onto the clean lobby floor, with some splatter hitting Raul's shoe. If the man's face could grow any redder, Beck wouldn't have thought it'd be possible.

"Oh god." Jade shambled away, her face turning a mixture of embarrassed and horrified. She was apologizing profusely as Cat dragged her away to the restroom.

"Here," Tori stuttered while grabbing Andre's rag from the piano, "Let me clean that." Andre began to protest, but it was far too late. Beck had to hide his eyes as Tori proceeded to polish Raul's shoe with the greasy and dusty rag. When she finally noticed, her hand was shaking horribly and she could hardly lift her head up to the man glaring down at her. "I-I am so sorry."

The night didn't pass easily for any of the group. Beck hoped that everything would be fine and Mr. Sidero would chalk it all up as an innocent mistake; but even still that wasn't the first thing on his mind. He needed to talk to Jade, to find out if she was okay-he'd never seen her the way she was then, so something was definitely up.

Still Jade wasn't taking his calls, nor would she text him back to let him know anything was okay. All he could do was make the attempt to sleep, and pray that she'd be okay.

In the morning he awoke to find a package addressed to him in the mail, and when he opened it he was filled with a rush of confusion and shock. There was a large red card with a spade upon it.

Desperate to find out the meaning of it, he got the group together; and Cat convinced Jade to come out. He saw the same look of concern in their eyes as well, as each held a similar red card. "We've all got one," Andre muttered, "A spade with fire around it."

"What does it mean?" Robbie asked.

Tori put her hands up to her face, groaning loudly. "We've been carded by the Sidero family. Thanks to our little stunt, the mafia is out to get us, that's what it fucking means!"

Jade leaned over Tori's shoulder, her eyebrows rising. "Tori, yours is different." Beck hummed and Tori looked down, her eyes filling with a sense of fear. "Yours has a heart instead of a spade. What is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh my god, I don't know. I don't know what any of this means." Tori's hands cupped over her mouth and she shut her eyes, whimpering fearfully. "I-I think I need to call my dad. He might know what to do…"

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Well, I hope you enjoy this, because it's going to take a turn that I've not done with the Victorious troupe yet. As much as I love the mafia, I've not done a mafia tale yet.


	2. Captured

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

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Chapter 2 (Captured)

"Jade please." Beck spoke breathlessly into his phone, pacing his bedroom floor so much he thought a hole was wearing in place. "I've been trying to get a hold of you. Anything, a phone call, a text, give me something." Tears welled up in his eyes as he fought the hopeless feeling. "I miss you. I just want to apologize, to talk…"

It seemed even worse since the incident, because at least before Jade would send him a text letting him know she wasn't ready or wanting to talk to him. Now it seemed even that wasn't going to happen. All week she'd been doing this, and he was beginning to wonder if she'd given up.

"Jade, I love you. I always have-you and only you. I'm sorry I broke up with you, I was being stupid." The voicemail beeped to signal the end of his recording. He whisked the phone away from his ear with a heavy sigh and slumped down onto his couch. "I won't give up on us Jade. It was a mistake, a stupid mistake."

The week was one of the worst weeks alone he'd endured, with every call his phone received he would jump and pray it was Jade. When it wasn't, he would be so disheartened that he wouldn't answer. Even today, he had numerous missed calls from his friends where he just simply did not answer.

He flipped on the news where he saw David Vega speaking to the public. His eyebrow rose and his mind went back to what Trina said about her father fixing to retire. "He's making plans to reshape the police department. Doesn't look like he's retiring anytime soon."

David cleared his throat and spread his hands along the podium, eyeing the camera with a piercing gaze. "I am honored to work for the public, and as I said when I first started in this town: I am going to fight against the crime that plagues our streets. Trafficking, gang warfare…and with the Mayor's faith in me and the community's faith in me, I promise to clean up the streets of Los Angeles-"

Beck struck the mute button and leaned forward, his brow furrowing. "Wait a second, he looks poised to become our new Chief of Police. Really? He's not retiring at all. So then-" His phone went off and his eyes flickered to the screen, but his heart's hope was dashed when he saw that it wasn't Jade calling him back. Rather, it was Andre, who had already called him once or twice before.

He grabbed the phone with a lingering sigh and raised it to his ear. "Hey Andre." He heard loud noises in the background, followed by shouts and loud exploding sounds. Panic filled his heart and he sat upright, his voice instantly rising in fear. "Andre? What's going on over there?"

"Get down Grandma!" He heard Andre shout. "Shit. You better be glad I know how to fight back." Beck shot up from the couch and raced to his window, where he spotted the red card placed on the windowsill. Remembering the circumstances, he felt a strange lump in his throat.

"Oh no."

"Get in the car, Grandma! Hurry the hell up!" More gunfire, followed by Andre and his grandmother screaming. He heard the car's engine rev up and tires squealing. "Beck? Beck are you there! Man, I don't know if you could hear but my grandma and I just got jumped."

"I hear." His hand trembled atop the windowsill and he studied the area outside his RV. He couldn't see anyone in the area, but worried for the safety of his parents. "What's going on? Did you call the cops?"

"Yeah, about an hour ago when I started seeing these fools sitting outside my house."

"Never showed?"

"What do you think, man? I can't get a hold of Robbie or the girls. I was trying to get in touch with you but you weren't answering my calls."

Stricken with guilt and fear, he lowered his head. "Sorry man, I've just been so wrapped up in…Jade!" His head jerked up and his body froze. He heard Andre say he was on his way over, so he hung up the phone and frantically dialed Jade's number. His fingers tapped the windowsill anxiously and he felt a cold sweat forming along his body. "Come on Jade pick up, please pick up."

He turned his head to the television where he saw David giving his speech, behind him were two women dressed in blazers with well-groomed hair. Holly, seated with her head down and hands folded in her lap; and then there was Trina. Trina looked proud and confident, her plump lips curved into a long smirk and her eyes half-lidded. Her hair swept around her head and over her shoulders like that of a lion's mane.

To Beck's surprise, he did not see Tori. Part of him wondered why, but the other part didn't care. Then, he knew Trina hadn't received a red card like Tori. Hopefully Andre was trying to get ahold of Tori, otherwise the Vegas were about to go through a whole different kind of nightmare.

All of a sudden, Tori appeared in his window, startling him as her hand slapped against the panes. "Beck! Beck, oh god!" He jumped back and saw Tori with blood on her forehead. "Help, open up please!" A few paces behind her was Cat's roommate, Sam, looking around protectively.

He dropped the phone and ran to the door. The minute he opened it, Tori flew in and into his arms, taking him by surprise. Her body was shaking like a leaf in the wind, and tears were soaking his chest. "I'm sorry Beck, I'm so, so sorry." He looked past her, searching the area until he saw Andre's car screaming down his street.

The car came to a halt in the driveway, an old classic '57 Chevy brown in color that was now riddled with bullet holes. Andre's grandmother was glued to the passenger seat, paralyzed with fear and her hand gripping Andre's in a deadly vicegrip. Andre pulled away from her hastily and leapt from his car.

"Goddamn it," Andre muttered. On instinct, Beck pushed Tori back and started to meet his friend halfway. "Beck, did you get ahold of anybody?"

"No." His voice shook and he looked over his shoulder. "Tori's here, but Jade's still not answering her phone. As for Cat…her roommate's here, I'm not sure why." Sam walked over, her face filled with rage.

"We were jumped in the fucking park. Me, Cat, Tori and Jade." His heart dropped and all the air in his lungs was zapped away. "We were on our way to Mr. Vega's speech when it happened." Tori rushed to Beck's side, grabbing him as though for protection.

"It was horrible, Beck." All he could think of was whether or not Jade was even alive. Gripped by an overwhelming sense of panic and anger, he stepped away from Tori and turned fully towards Sam.

"What happened to Jade? Where is she? Did she even have a chance to fight back?" Jade was a fighter, it was one of the things he always loved about her. Sam frowned and bowed her head, giving Beck another shot of grief and anxiety. "Sam? What. Happened. To. Her?"

"She was asleep when it happened."

"What? No way she'd sleep through that!"

"Ask Tori. She gave her something." Beck's eyes went wide and he turned to Tori, who looked innocent and still unsettled.

"What? Jade was having trouble sleeping so I gave her some sleeping pills to help her rest a bit more. Nothing major." He exhaled and raised his hand over his eyes and forehead. "Some men came and took her away. Cat went with them, not wanting to let anything happen to Jade. Sam was trying to fight them off."

Sam crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at Tori. "Which would have been easier if miss frantic poodle over here didn't keep trying to get away by running right into danger. She was a huge distraction, I couldn't even get to Jade or Cat because of her!"

"It was a mistake, I was scared and panicking!" Tori pouted her lip and wiped away the tears in her eyes. "I was trying to get to them too."

"And that was the problem, you wouldn't stay the hell back. I could have gotten to them before those assholes drove off."

Andre ran his hand through his hair and sighed. "It was probably for the best, those guys could have killed you if you got close." Andre's eyebrow rose and he looked back at his car. "Did they have weapons?"

"Not that I saw." Sam took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "We got lucky. No guns or knives, just fisticuffs."

"Where did Tori get her wound from?"

"I pushed her away trying to get her out of harm's way." Sam growled and the guys looked at Tori curiously. "I mean talk about distraction. I know it was a panicked situation, but how hard was it to stay put when nobody was shooting at us?"

"Wonder why they didn't shoot at you." Andre poked his thumb over his shoulder and he started to sigh. "All a hail of bullets." Sam scratched her chin, her fierce gaze narrowing.

"I'm wondering the same now."

Tori looked around and spoke out, her voice grabbing their attention. "What about Robbie? Did anyone get ahold of Robbie?" Beck frowned and looked back inside his RV.

The answer came not from any of them, but the grim look on David Vega's face as an official walked away from him. "I just received word that our own district attorney was found murdered in his home just today…" Beck's heart dropped and he heard Andre curse.

Thomas Shapiro was the district attorney, and a powerful one at that. If anyone could have helped them, it would be him.

"His family was found in the home as well." The others turned to the door, all looking at the television. David brought his hand to his chest and closed his eyes, a solemn expression came over his face. "His son, a good friend of my daughters, was not found home. It seems he is missing."

"They got him too," Andre whispered. Tori started to fall to her knees, whimpering as her fingers gripped at Beck's pant leg. "Son of a bitch, they got Robbie and clipped his family." Andre ran his hand over his forehead and walked away a few paces, mumbling under his breath.

"What are we going to do?" Tori asked between her frantic sobs. "We're all going to die." Beck knelt in front of her with a sigh, hoping he could calm down his frightened friend. He took her hands and looked her in the eyes.

"It's going to be okay, Tori." She sniffled and he started to avert his eyes, contemplating how he could believe such a lie. Jade was out there somewhere, and there was no telling whether she was alive or dead. "Look, we'll just tell your dad what's going on, the police will help. They'll help, I'm sure of it. They'll know what to do."

"A family in the Spanish mafia, Beck. Those are the people that attacked us. My dad's nowhere ready to fight _them_."

"He seems to want to clean up crime in LA, so hey, I'm sure he'll do everything he can." The unsettled sensation in his stomach was only growing worse. He looked up to Andre and saw him watching over his grandmother with a somber look.

The woman was his last relative left. His father and brothers died in the hurricane that struck New Orleans many years ago when he was little, then his mother committed suicide. He was so young he just assumed his grandmother's name.

Beck rose to his feet and walked beside Andre. "Go talk to your grandma, be with her for a bit okay?" Andre looked at him carefully, then back to Tori and Sam. Tori was burying her face in her hands while Sam was leaning against a nearby tree with agitation written on her face.

"You got this here?"

"Y-Yeah. I need to do some thinking, man."

"Alright."

Elsewhere, Jade awoke to darkness surrounding her. Her head was pounding and her throat burned as bile rose and fell. "Where am I?" She grumbled. She could hardly remember anything after drinking one of the water bottles Tori brought along to the park with them. "Hello?"

Someone shushed her, a familiar voice. "Don't say anything Jade, save your energy." Cat's voice seemed to come from all around. Jade reached for her face with trembling fingers and realized her hands were bound together by something rough at the wrists.

There was some sack tied firmly around her head, with only small holes poked for her to breathe through. "What's going on? Cat, why can't I see you? Where are we? Where's Sam and Tori?"

"Gone. I don't know where we are, we're being taken somewhere…that much I know. Robbie's here too."

"Robbie?" Jade extended her arms into the darkness, trying in vain to feel around for her friends. "Oh god. What's going on?"

"The Sidero family got us." Robbie's voice was shallow and hoarse, like he'd been crying nonstop for hours. "No idea where they're taking us. I guess Sam and Tori escaped…They don't seem to have Andre or Beck, I hope they're okay."

"Beck…" Jade felt her heart skip and she bowed her head, feeling a tear roll down her face. "Oh god I hope he's okay. If something happened to him…" She felt Cat's body lean up against her from behind, and a sense of comfort came over her. "We'll make it through this. We have to. I…still haven't told him."

"Told him what?"

"She's pregnant," Cat answered. Robbie started to gasp and Jade shut her eyes. She'd been terrified to bring it up because she didn't find out until after the breakup. It was too terrifying to think about what his reaction might be, or if he'd even want to be a father. Then there was the issue of whether or not he even wanted to get back together with her.

"I still love him. I get why he broke up with me, I do; but it's more than just jealousy. I don't trust Tori, I don't. I can't explain it, but the minute she kissed him on that stage…the way she looked at me afterwards, and every time he sides with her when she looks at me, there's a coldness. Something I can't describe."

"I'm sure it's not intentional," Robbie replied sadly, "Haven't you ever tried talking to her about that? See if she's trying to mess with you or something? I mean you did bully the hell out of her at first."

"I know, I know; but not a lot of good it'd do now." She fell silent and listened to the hum of the road. She was trying to focus on location, but all she could hear were the sounds of cars passing them and horns honking. "I was really trying to make an effort to be her friend, to be more supportive of her and of her sister. Hell, I was even going to join her to see Trina off to college."

"Oh yeah, Trina's leaving overseas isn't she?"

"Yeah." Jade raised her head up, gasping softly at the sounds of foghorns in the distance and seagulls crowing. "Oh no, are we at a port?"

"What do you mean?"

"Listen, it sounds like we're at a port." Jade held her breath, listening as the vehicle came to a stop. There were sounds of doors opening and slamming shut, so she quickly told Cat and Robbie to remain calm and quiet.

Hell, it was hard enough for her to remain calm or focused on the sounds when all she wanted to do was think about whether or not she was ever going to see Beck-or the light of day again.

Suddenly the sound of a sliding door opened up, and the noises of a port swelled in her ears. "Alright time to go." She felt a hand grab at her wrist and she instinctively pulled away, which only made more hands grab her and yank her out roughly.

She almost fell to the ground when someone caught her. "Careful there! Miss Sidero doesn't want any harm befalling this one. Evidently we have a pregnant one." Jade's heart stopped and she leaned her head up.

"What?" How could they know she was pregnant? Unless someone had been watching her, or someone at the hospital she went to knew about it. After all, there was no way Cat would tell anyone aside from Sam; and the two girls were the only ones that knew.

"Feel free to rough the boy up though. Miss S doesn't care what happens to him." Robbie screamed aloud and Jade heard a sudden crunching noise.

"No, Robbie!" Jade tried to reach for him, moving fast. "Don't hurt them, please!"

"Aw how noble of you." She felt a pair of hands slap her back and begin to push her forward. Still unable to see, and fearful of what retaliation they could bring, she opted to go along with them for the moment. "But unfortunately sweetheart, you don't have much of a say on how much injury gets dealt to the boy."

"Why? What did he do wrong?"

"It's all what has been ordered, and I ain't going into much else than that."

She growled and twisted her body in the man's grip. "Where are you taking us? What are you going to do?"

"Boss wants you on the boat." A lump formed in her throat and sweat grew on her brow. From what had been said of the Sidero family, she knew they were from Spain; and she was praying they weren't taking them all the way there.

The panic was rising in her voice. She couldn't hear Cat or Robbie, only that patter of her feet. "You can't do this." The man chuckled darkly and pushed her onto some sort of incline. Jade gasped out and swayed from side to side, feeling a metal railing on either side of her.

"We can, and we are. You try to scream, make any sudden movements or decide you're about to get brave…we kill the pretty redhead."

* * *

So it seems the precarious situation has begun, any thoughts?


	3. Mafia Rise in LA

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 3 (Mafia Rise in LA)

"Who or what is the Sidero crime family?" Beck wanted to know what they were dealing with, or what the police would be going through in rescuing Jade, Cat, and Robbie, so he was asking Mr. Vega in case the man had dealings with them before.

David was standing on the other side of his kitchen counter, holding a large coffee mug in his hand. Tori sat on the couch behind Beck, with Andre and Sam nearby. "The Sidero family…" David sipped his coffee slow and Beck watched as his eyebrows closed together to form a wrinkle between them.

The coffee mug was lowered as if pushed away with a sigh. "Are a family branch of the Spanish mafia. They are one branch, and perhaps the deadliest, most violent and sadistic of all the families." His heart surged with fear and he carefully gripped his chest while breathing in deep. "They are insanely territorial, and believe in the manifest destiny concept."

"Like expansion? Expanding west?"

"Yeah, and they're known for contending with gangs, believing the mafia to be the only true form of organized crime." David set down his mug and narrowed his eyes. "They are a poison, and they have been present in LA for decades, trying to take over as I understand. They have a major hub in this town, a hub in Mexico City, a hub in Cuba…but of course their biggest influence is in Madrid, Spain."

He was assuming the man's knowledge of the mafia family was due to run-ins with them in the past. If so, this man would be a fantastic source of knowledge. "So…What do you think, that they're trying to infiltrate the ranks of the city officials?"

"It's my belief they already have. I am trying to cull the city officials of their influence, but it gets harder and harder. I believe they are just now starting a full blown assault on the city." David walked around the countertop, his fingers sliding along the edge. "With the assassination of Thomas Shapiro's family, I firmly believe they've begun."

"What about Jade? Cat and Robbie?"

"Jade's father is a part of this city's politics, and firmly outspoken against organized crime." David crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. "They may have taken her as a result, perhaps as leverage." Beck could feel his heart beginning to pound. None of this was good, especially since he didn't know if that was entirely accurate. "Also, if police record serves me correct, I think Cat's mother prosecuted a few Sidero soldiers."

"Are they all one big family or…how does a mafia family work? I don't understand the whole organized crime thing."

"First a crime family is made up of a family at the head of that organization." David exhaled and made his way towards the recliner. Beck followed after, nodding as he took in the man's lecture. "The foot soldiers, grunts and influences aren't all related. It's simple, think back to your idea of mafia, or the godfather movies even…was every person involved a blood relative?"

"No."

"Exactly." David took a seat and sipped on his drink once more. After several seconds, he pulled his mug away. "You said you encountered Raul Sidero, correct?" He nodded once more and David let out another heavy sigh. "I'm trying to think of my research into that crime family, and I believe Raul is either one of their underbosses or capos. If that's the case, it means they're gathering-otherwise he would not be seen here…Usually when a crime family gathers it's for a few reasons: War, some special event or changing of the head."

"That last one?"

"Makes sense to me." David's eyes opened up and he shrugged. "I've had some insiders tell me the family's leader was stepping down and a new one was stepping up. They say the new leader, often the eldest child, is poised to be the bloodiest don yet of the Sidero family." David swirled his coffee, gazing down at the fluid. "If that's true, it makes sense that Mr. Shapiro's been struck so quickly…"

He felt a cold sensation shooting down his back, followed by a numbness that grew into a powerful ache. His stomach jolted and his knees began to buckle. "Do you know anything of them? Like the current leads?" David raised his eyes up and slowly shook his head.

"I know some, but not a lot. Intelligence tells me the head of the family had been living in LA, which was unusual as the head of the family never lives outside of Spain…tells me they have multiple children, the youngest of which it sounds like has been promised LA upon takeover."

"Oh god."

They pissed off the wrong family at clearly the wrong time, but for Beck, there was nothing they could do now. "What's the likelihood that Jade's going to be okay?" He gripped his stomach and walked towards the chair, leaning over the arm and grasping the arm rest firmly with his free hand. "What're the chances Cat and Robbie will be okay? What about us? They came after us too…"

"They didn't go after you," Andre remarked, "Surprisingly." Beck closed his eyes and David started to hum.

"From what it sounds like, you explained what happened at the hotel, there might be a personal vendetta against you and your friends." In other words, in the midst of a citywide takeover by one of the Spanish mafia's bloodiest families, the group pissed off one of their leaders and was now subject to whatever the family would throw at them.

"Beck, I will try and do what I can. By now, Jade, Robbie and Cat are probably hidden somewhere the police can't get to…" David raised the mug and his eyes shot out over the rim of the cup as he made a long slurping noise. Beck started to tremble as he thought only of Jade sitting helpless in some dark dungeon. "If they've left the states, we're going to be in a lot more trouble."

"No." His fingers tightened over the sofa and tears welled up in his eyes. "What does that mean?"

"It means they'd be out of the jurisdiction of our police, and we'd have to work with the Spanish law enforcement-which I doubt they'd even want to touch the Sidero family." Gritting his teeth, he leaned forward and made eye contact with David, who had yet to pull the mug from his lips.

"Are you telling me it's hopeless? I'm not going to give up on Jade. I-I can't."

"It's not hopeless. Not yet." David lowered the mug and sighed. "We don't know if they've been taken anywhere. Frankly, we know very little and have to find witnesses first. It's likely the three are together, so if anyone from the park knows anything…"

Sam turned her head and raised her shoulders. "I doubt they'd know much more than Tori or I do." David sighed. Sam uncrossed her arms and stood up. "I have some connections in my own family, they might be able to help. Freddie's too…"

"Why don't you just sit back, relax, and let the police handle this." David smiled gently, his eyes scanning the area. "I assure you we will do everything we can."

It wasn't much, but it was something, and that's all Beck needed to feel like something was being done about the situation. Afterwards, he was joined at a nearby café by Tori, Andre and Sam. Each of them were unsettled and anxious, even Tori seemed greatly distracted by whatever was outside that she was staring at.

"I'm just saying," Sam begun, "I don't know how successful the police are going to be. Nothing against them, I firmly believe in their capability to get things done, but I question how much _time_ our friends have."

"She's got a point." Tori pulled her eyes from the window and looked to Sam. "You were saying something about your family, and Freddie's?" Sam nodded and looked down at the table.

"Yeah, we usually try to stay away from our relatives." Sam curled a strand of her hair behind her ear and chuckled nervously. "Both of us come from crime families that we've tried to get away from in the past…" Beck's eyes widened and he watched Sam's fingers curl around the cup sitting in front of her. "Fortunately, ours have left us alone for the most part. Melanie is more promising to my family, and Freddie's cousin is moving up in his."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying our families know organized crime and might be able to help in some way to find our friends." He saw the strain on Sam's face, and the dimness in her eyes. It was clear she wanted nothing to do with either family for whatever reason, but he didn't want to make her go into all of that.

Clearing his throat, he reached over and started to pat Sam's wrist. "Hey, if you don't want to get involved with them." Sam looked up and into his eyes, the dimness fleeing as tension filled them.

"No, it's worth it. I'd be willing to go to them. Just not sure I'm ready for whatever consequence that might involve." Sam crossed her arms and looked out the window. "Freddie and I got them to agree, so long as everyone stayed out of our way and us out of theirs, they'd leave us alone. Calling on them now…" Sam shut her eyes and scoffed. "If it came to that, it would be worth it. Cat's worth it, so is Jade and even Robbie."

Beck felt his body tense and he closed up his hands on the table. Beside him Tori reached over and placed her hand on his forearm to try and comfort him, but he hardly batted an eye. "Beck, we're all here together. No matter what happens, we're here for each other, okay?" Sam furrowed her brow, studying Tori for a moment before twisting around in her chair and hanging an elbow over the back.

"Hey Beck, there's something else…you ought to know." He raised his gaze towards Sam, but the blonde was hesitant. "I'm not sure if it's the right time to tell you, or if there was ever a good time to." He knew he was unstable at the moment, so if it was about Jade, while he wanted to know anything that might be going on with her, he didn't know what he could take.

Andre snapped his fingers and leaned towards Sam. "Try me first." He pointed to his ear and Sam gave a slight nod before leaning in and whispering into his ear. To Beck's amazement, Andre started to go pale. His lips formed an oval, then he started to tense up. "Okay. Yeah. He needs to know. Not right this minute, but yeah."

"What is it?" He growled out. "Is it about Jade?"

Andre leaned forward, his head bent slightly but his eyes focusing across into his own. "Yeah man." Andre's lips pressed firmly together and his chest started to expand. "But trust me, you're going to want to hear this during a calmer moment-if there exists a moment…Right now, I'm afraid you'd do something terrible."

"I can handle it."

"No man, not this. Not now."

He was getting frustrated, but he respected Andre's input. There had been plenty of times in the past where the two had to hold the other back, so if Andre felt he wasn't ready to hear something about Jade, he believed it.

He swallowed the lump in his throat and started to pull away from Tori. "What do you guys think about what Mr. Vega said?" His voice trembled and he started to bite back on his tears in an attempt to push his worries aside. "I mean the clan has to be someone in this city that's well known, right? Or maybe they're hidden?"

"A crime organization like this, I doubt they're hidden." Tori replied with a shakiness in her own voice. The others looked to her as she gazed out the window, holding her breath. "Like Daddy said, they have to be out in the open, gaining the public's trust, gaining popularity so they wouldn't be expected."

Nearby they heard the sound of a news station's opening on the television. Beck turned and saw the brunette reporter ready with the breaking news headline. Reading the headline, Beck's heart dropped into his stomach.

 _"A bloody day follows the rise of this city's new Police Chief as several prominent gang leaders and their members are found dead in blitz style attack on their home bases. While no one knows for sure what caused the bloodbath, one thing is certain: Chief Vega will not rest until the criminals responsible have been brought to justice."_

Tori leaned back slowly, her eyes falling away from the television as her lower lip started to quiver. "It's like Daddy said. The Sidero family is taking over…oh god, what are we going to do?" She raised her hands to her face and shook her head. "I wish we never took that gig at the hotel."

"Maybe they'll focus less on us then? The police have to be able to find the others, but…with all this going on?"

"We'll find them," Sam remarked, "Whether or not the police are able to help." Beck leaned his head back, he was impressed by the blonde's statement, and somewhat inspired. At the very least, he was willing to do whatever it took. "I say we give them a chance, but the question is, how much of a chance?"

He looked past Sam and Andre, his gaze settling on a man standing near the host stand. The man had been standing there for some time, but he'd only just noticed him.

As the man made eye contact, he started to straighten up. "Still wondering why I wasn't targeted at the same time," Beck muttered. The man began to approach, removing a manila folder from beneath his leather jacket. "Guys…stay calm, but we've got company."

Sam and Andre froze, their gazes drifting to the sides over their shoulders. Tori held her breath and clutched Beck's forearm while he maintained a steady gaze with the man. "Beck Oliver?" The man extended the folder to him and he carefully took it between his thumb and index finger.

"I'm Beck."

"You've been given a grace period by Miss Sidero." Beck's eyebrow rose and the man started to leave. He looked back to the folder and carefully began to open it, fearful of what lay inside.

Once fully open he saw the glossy image of Jade, Cat and Robbie staring back at them. They were tied and had burlap sacks over their heads. It took everything in him not to scream or cry when he saw the images.

Tori's hands flew over her face and she buried her face into Beck's arm. Andre's eyes focused on the images while Sam shook her head at Tori. "I get she's frightened," Sam replied with a slow and somewhat menacing tone. "But laying it on a little thick. Even Carly never got that bad in even the worst situations…" Tori raised her head slightly, peering over her fingertips at Sam.

"Guys." Beck's hand hovered over a sheet of paper with the images and his fingers curled around it, crinkling it. "There's a note." Sam and Andre returned their attention while Tori continued to stare at Sam, with nearly no emotion on her face.

Beck began reading the note aloud, stressing over every syllable as if to hunt for some hidden message. "If you wish to see them again, let's see how far you're willing to go. Follow our clues without police intervention and find them within a time limit of our choosing…sooner is better than later…If you find them fast, we will set you free of your burdens..."

Andre grabbed the note, his nose wrinkled and he let out a low growl. "The hell does that mean?" Beck was just as confused; it definitely wasn't good.

* * *

What do you think? Everything Mr. Vega said about the crime family up to that note at the end. "Set free of burdens" Could that mean a forgiveness of debt, or something much worse? Also what other observations might you be making?


	4. Thorns in the Side

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 4 (Thorns in the Side)

What little Jade knew about the Spanish mafia wasn't going to help in their escape. She knew that like other mafias, they operated on a global basis and the particular crime family they were involved in must operate in just a few of the countries that the Spanish mafia as a whole operated in.

She sat with Cat and Robbie in the back seat of a dark vehicle, driving through a pair of gates and up to a large compound. She didn't know what country they were in, nor had she any clue of how to get help.

Looking at her friends, she could see the horror in their eyes. Robbie was already bruised from having been beaten on a couple of times, and Cat's face was red with tears. "We'll be okay," Jade whispered to them, "We'll get out of here." She knew her words were only empty promises, but she had to try and do something to give them some sort of hope.

She looked to the driver and raised her feet, digging into the back. "Hey, you up there!" The driver grunted and in the rearview she saw him glance back. "Where are we? What does the Sidero family want with LA? If we're going to die, at least inform us." The man smirked cruelly and shook his head.

"You should be lucky that you are not in Spain right now. Our new head is busy with important family business and unification talks and cannot be bothered with you." Jade jerked her head back, mildly offended. "Nor are you in LA, where as we speak, the Sidero crime family is busy wiping out common street rat gangs in an effort of global expansion."

He said enough, more than she expected. California was about to become the first state to be taken over by the Spanish mafia. "Are you saying…the Spanish mafia want to take over the United States?" Her friends' eyes grew large and the driver began to laugh.

"Now _there's_ a dream. There are already multiple crime families within the Spanish mafia established within the US; but the Sidero family has established the most political status within the states-just so happens to be California with a base in LA."

"You talk like you have even the governor in your pocket," Cat muttered.

"They do." Jade's blood ran cold and she leaned forward, gagging on her own saliva. "The head of the Sidero family has been living in Los Angeles since he was twenty years old, put there by his father-who was the head of the family for a large amount of time. Since then, he has gained friendships and connections in the political and business world…and now his youngest child stands poised to wipe out any street gangs that stand in the way of a complete market for us. The Sidero crime family will usher in the bloodiest era yet."

"You can't be serious!"

"Several gang leaders have just been eradicated by the Sidero family within the last week alone. We know how to hide, we know how to stay in the shadows…in fact, the assassinations of those gang leaders look to be done by the gangs themselves."

"Why us?" Jade looked around to get a sense of her surroundings. The sky was very arid, with little clouds. All of the buildings were brown and looked to be built with stone. The compound itself had one main building, large and looming as if to overlook the entire country. "Why kidnap us?"

"Because you insulted the crime boss."

"We weren't trying to insult Raul."

"Raul?" The driver mocked them with a laugh, causing them to exchange nervous and unsettled looks. "You didn't offend him, and besides, he's the underboss of the Sidero family."

"What?"

"You insulted our newest head of the family, and fortunately for you, she is too busy to bother with you. She wants you to be held until she is ready to deal with you and your friends…but she also wishes to have the others brought to you first."

Instantly she knew who the others were. Thinking of Beck, her heart began to sink. Even Tori didn't deserve this hell, and Tori got a card just like the rest of them. "You'll never get them," she whispered with a growling voice. "You'll never get them. You got us, but you won't get them. I swear it."

"Keep dreaming, dear. They're already trying to rely on help that will never come. The police and politicians of Los Angeles are more corrupted than ever. Your friends will be ignored."

"I hate you."

"Hate away, I am only a lowly associate."

"You never answered where we were, you know." The boat they'd been on stopped at some shore and they'd been dragged to an airport where they flew to some other location. "Far as I know, we've been all over the world by now."

"That helps avoid any tracking."

"Figured as much." She clenched her fists. It was surprising how talkative this associate was. If she could keep him talking, he'd give all the information she needed; and hopefully before someone bumped him off for flapping his gums. "Just tell us where were are."

"Yeah," Robbie spoke finally, "Also I overheard some guards talking about like the major hubs that the Sidero family has…it sounds like you're only in the western part of the world. Why is Spain the only one over on the east?" The driver shrugged.

"They're not. The Sidero family has major networks in every country, every continent. The major members of the family are on the western hemisphere because the western scope is where they are continuing their expansion. Known associates and trusted confidantes of the family have been given other countries."

"Oh…"

"I have said far enough. To answer your question, you are in the country of Peru. Headed by Helena Sidero and her father, Carlos. You are fortunate, they are among the softer side of the family."

Just then, the face of a woman in her twenties jumped in front of the driver's side window. She was olive-skinned, had brooding dark eyes and long black hair. Jade noticed how similar in appearance to Trina she looked, but thought little of it.

"Marcos, what are you doing talking to them?" Helena yanked open the door and sneered ferociously. "This is not 'let's get friendly with the captives'. You are lucky I do not put a bullet in your brain right now!" Jade flinched and looked at her friends.

If this was one of the softer relatives, she didn't want to meet the harder ones.

Helena pulled open the back door and grabbed Jade by the wrist. "Get out of the car." Jade tried to pull away, but the woman yanked her with such power that she almost flew to the ground outside. "I care not like my cousin does that you are pregnant. If you fuck with me, I will fuck with you."

Jade coughed as dirt rose to her face. "I-Okay." She wasn't submissive, but there was a time for fighting and a time to remain calm; and this was the time to hold back. "I'm guessing your cousin is the head of the family we somehow pissed off?"

"You guess correct. You already know more than you should have." Marcos exited the vehicle and bowed his head, looking like a puppy getting scolded. Helena shot him a glare and took a deep breath. "She would shoot you were you stand for the offense, Marcos. You are lucky I like you."

"Yes ma'am."

"However I will tell her how you spilled your guts to them, and if she orders your death, I cannot stand in her way."

"I understand."

Helena snapped her fingers at Robbie and Cat, who were taking a while to get out of the car. "Hurry up, hurry up, we have work to do." The girl rolled her eyes and sighed. "I swear she gave her sister the easy job, can't _possibly_ imagine why. She hardly has to do any work taking over the territory she's been given. I've had to do everything in my power to expand in this area."

Helena seemed just as chatty as Marcos was, but certainly only when annoyed. Jade wanted to keep her talking, only without asking the woman obvious questions. "So Helena, you seem young." Helena raised an eyebrow and sighed.

"I am twenty years. Two years older than our esteemed new head, which should make _me_ head; but that's okay, she is the daughter and granddaughter of the last two Sidero family leaders. Not to mention, she's the one doing the most for our expansion."

There was some level of bitterness in her tone, and that spoke volumes to Jade. At the same time, she didn't want to outright question whether Helena was bitter or not. "You want to lead the family? You're the oldest?"

"Oldest of this current generation, yes. My grandfather, however, was four years younger than her grandfather. Therefore Jorge became the head, and his son would become the next. Therefore it is my cousin that leads the family."

"What is she so busy doing that she's sent the ones that pissed her off somehow to you?"

"Unification. She's marrying the next heir to a Russian mob family." A sick smile swept across Helena's face. The woman folded her arms and pulled her lips apart to reveal a toothy grin. Jade's stomach churned violently and she took a shaky step backwards, already fearing what that marriage might bring. "This unification will ascend the Sidero crime family to great new heights. The two families will be individual, though united as one, all our territories will become one; and the Sidero family will stand at the top of the Spanish Mafia. This is a bloody new age we are entering into, and I could not be happier."

"So why worry about all the street gangs out there? I mean, like Marcos said…" Helena rolled her eyes and shot Marcos another glare. "Wiping out the gangs of LA?"

"In order to stand at the top, we have to be at the top. Eliminate competitive markets that have no business being in a market where the sellers are also users of their own product and buyers will flock to us. So we stand to rid ourselves of the pests."

This wasn't hard to understand, but Jade couldn't help but to feel like eliminating gangs wouldn't be easy. "What if they were to rise against you? I mean for as many gangs as there are out there…"

Helena scoffed. "They are nothing. They are puny, pathetic, drug-addled freaks that stand to be so uncoordinated they would sooner implode from within." She put her hand to her chest and threw her head back. "Why the Sidero family is doing them a favor, getting rid of them by outside means rather than let them suffer with a terminal disease."

"So, genocide in the form of mercy-killing?"

"Basically." Helena dropped her hand and looked to the side. Perhaps the Sidero family was more afraid that the gangs would stand to be a threat to them. "We've spoken enough, it is time to take you inside."

"Or you could let us go. I mean, we have no idea where we are so we'd probably just end up dying before we even got close to finding a way home." It was a statement not to be taken seriously. As Helena cracked out laughing, Jade took a breath of air and motioned for Robbie and Cat to follow along as the woman guided them inside.

"So…Sidero…How come I don't remember that name ever in LA, if they've been there for so long?" Helena opened the door to the compound and glanced over her shoulder.

"Not always does a crime family keep a public hold on the name that goes with the family. The founding head was named Sidero, his son was Sidero, and that man's daughter was Sidero. Juanita, however, took upon her husband's name. Her son headed the family for the longest time and now his daughter stands to give us the greatest expansion-she will take on the name of her husband most likely, but at the root of it all, our family will always be known as the Sidero family."

"I see. Because Sidero is the root."

"Yes. Now quit asking so many questions, I have told you more than you need to know." They were led into a basement and guided down to a couple cells. "Katrina would have my head if she knew how much you just learned today…"

Jade froze as all of time seemed to slow around her. Turning her eyes, she felt the pounding of her heart against her chest. Each beat, like a drum, seemed to echo in her ears.

Maybe she misheard, it was the only thing that made sense. If nothing else, it would have been an extreme coincidence.

She could see though the color draining from her friends' faces as they were guided into some sort of cell. Cat spoke next, her words sounded much deeper to Jade than normal.

"Why does your boss hate us?"

"Because you are nothing more than a thorn in her side." Helena slammed the gate door shut and narrowed her eyes. "Do not become a thorn in mine, which you are on the verge of as you ask far too many questions for my liking; and more than one is too much for her liking."

Jade waited for Helena to leave before she started looking around. A newfound panic filled her veins as she gripped the bars. "I have to get us out of here. We have to do something."

"Get out of where?" Cat fell into a corner, whimpering for a minute. "We're in the middle of a criminal stronghold. How the hell would we escape something like this?"

"Well for one, they don't seem to want to kill us."

Robbie shot her a skeptical look and Jade instantly recanted. "Okay, they want to kill us. They seem to have orders not to." During all of the talking with Marcos, Jade had her hands wedged between his seat and the door. Her finger had grabbed a ring of keys, which she didn't know the use of; but if she had to guess, she'd say one of them went to this cell.

There were many barrels and crates here in the basement, some of which she was almost certain were flammable. At least, she smelled oil coming from somewhere. "Here we go." She began trying the keys on the door of the cell, earning shocked looks from Cat Robbie. Eventually she found a key that managed to pry open the door. "Got it! Let's get out of here."

Lowering her bound wrists to her waist, Jade was the first to exit, keeping a watchful eye on the basement door as Cat and Robbie left the door. "Okay," Robbie began, "I very much can see where the 'thorn in the side' comes from. I also believe Marcos when he says we're being held by the 'softer' side of the family…so why are we trying to piss them off right now?"

Jade rolled her eyes and turned to him, speaking with a harsh whisper. "Because if we can escape from here, we might be able to go home. Maybe warn Beck, Andre and Tori. Maybe get Mr. Vega to get the police to help somehow." Cat bit her lip and exchanged a nervous look with Robbie.

Maybe it was denial, maybe disbelief, Jade just wanted to believe either Helena misspoke or she misheard. If nothing else, she wanted to believe in coincidence.

"Now." She looked to the barrels and grit her teeth. "Let's cause a distraction. Robbie, do you still have that lighter in your pocket?" Robbie paled and Cat raised her eyebrows at him.

"How do you know I even have a lighter?"

"Come on, Beck told me you smoke." Robbie was the second longest friend Beck had, right after Andre. The trio had been inseparable from their last days in elementary, so they knew everything about each other; this included the fact that Robbie began smoking at the age of fourteen when his brother went overseas. "You have a lighter you always carry with you."

"My brother's, yeah…but I don't smoke that often. Not anymore." Robbie was speaking more to Cat now, because she was giving him what appeared to be an evil eye. He cleared his throat and reached into his pocket. "I'm shocked those people didn't take it from me."

"In their defense, what're you going to do with a small little lighter? They seemed more interested in making sure we didn't have weapons on us." Robbie handed her the lighter and she picked up a small crowbar on the ground. "I'm going out on a limb here and say the people at this compound are a bit careless…this helps us."

"Either that or they're expecting something like this to happen." He paused, his eyes darting to the door. "What are you about to try and do?"

"Like the basement on fire." She began smashing the barrels and crates with the crowbar, earning startled screams from her friends. "Robbie, I know you don't want to lose your brother's lighter, but…"

"It's just a cheap lighter." He began to tremble, his lips uttering whimpers every few seconds. "What are you going to do with it?"

"Test the door, try to get that damn thing open, and throw the lighter down at the oil. Hopefully I can pick the lock."

"Think it's locked?"

"I'm almost certain it's locked, Robbie." In what world would captors keep their hostages locked up somewhere with an unlocked door.

They made their way to the door where Jade tried the knob. Once she confirmed it was locked, she grabbed a small bobby pin from her hair and started to work on the lock until she was able to successfully pick it.

It was better to do it this way than to draw attention by smashing the door open with the crowbar. "We are so dead," Cat whispered. Robbie whined before going down to light the spilled oil on the floor with the lighter. Once done, he ran back to the door and shut his eyes.

Jade pushed the door open and looked back, to her amazement the fire was spreading much faster than she expected. "Okay, we have to move carefully." She gripped the crowbar firmly in her hand, ready to wield it as a weapon. "They've got guns, we've got a crowbar. Let's try _not_ to draw attention."

"We don't know the area. We don't know how to get out." The fire was climbing the walls now, and smoke was filling the air. "We need to hurry up, because they're going to be running here any minute now."

"You're right. They are." They exited the door and almost immediately Jade had to use the crowbar to knock out an associate that was guarding the basement.

They ran down the hall, with the fire spreading out and grabbing the rugs and furniture nearby. "Did anyone else get the feeling that maybe Helena and her father were the forgotten cousins?" Robbie inquired. It made sense, because if escaping this particular compound were as easy as it felt, there was no way in hell the Sidero family would be taking Helena and her father seriously.

It didn't take much longer for the fire to continue its consumption of the building. Most of the associates were busy trying to put it out, too busy to notice the trio making their way out.

Eventually they passed an area of the compound where guards were heard trying to open a locked door. "Don't quit now, we have to get Carlos out of there! Helena will be furious with us." Jade stopped and looked over with great concern.

Walking to the basement, she'd overheard conversations from other associates in the compound. One of them mentioned a bedridden leader. Now, Helena clearly wasn't bedridden and she appeared to be in charge, so that would have meant her father was the one they were talking about.

"Should we help them?" She clenched her fists and looked at Robbie and Cat, who were looking to her for an answer. She didn't know what the right decision was. Normally she'd do anything she could to help someone like this, but this was not a normal situation.

"They're just going to kill us," Cat remarked, "But we can't leave a helpless man to die can we? Even though…he's one of our kidnappers."

Jade raised her eyes skyward and started to groan. "God why did this have to be difficult?" She ran for the door, between the two guards that were coughing violently and proceeded to smash through the door with the crowbar.

Inside was a man in his late thirties, early forties. He was gripping the sheets firmly with his hands and coughing violently. At the other end of the room was a wheelchair. "Help me," he said with a rasp, "I'm dying."

The three helped him into the wheelchair, each holding their breath to keep smoke from filling their lungs. Once he was in the seat, they raced out of the compound.

One of the last things they heard, however, was Helena's bloodcurdling scream and the sound of walls and ceiling crashing to the ground. Jade paled and looked back at the compound with a sense of fear growing inside her.

"What the fuck was in those crates?"

Carlos raised his head. "Gunpowder, oil, some alcohol…you were to be locked in a storage room."

The entire house was consumed by fire. By now, because they decided to save Carlos, they weren't going to be able to escape. Virtually every associate that was there would see them and stop them from leaving. Those very associates stood around, watching the place burn as a local fire crew worked to put out the fire. Carlos's voice trembled and he raised his bony arms to his associates. "Helena. Where is she? Where is my daughter?"

It was Marcos that answered. His face was covered in soot and his clothes were burnt. "She didn't make it, sir. I'm sorry…" Jade gasped softly and bowed her head. Carlos dropped his hand and shook his head.

"First my wife, now my daughter. What am I to do? I can barely talk. Stage four, I have not much longer to live and no one to pass my stronghold on to…what am I to do?"

"Do not worry sir, Peru is not lost to us. Not yet."

"How did the fire start? Does anyone know?" Jade glanced to Cat and Robbie, watching as both of them began to shake. "We cannot hold these captives here, we must send them to a different stronghold. One of my cousins shall take them."

"We could just send them to Madrid."

"No, that will not work." Carlos shook his hand in the air. "She does not want them yet. They should be grateful for that."

"She might see them sooner yet, now that this just happened." This was true, they did just cause the death of Helena. Potentially, they might have caused the collapse of one of the strongholds. "We should not be surprised, sir. We were given the weakest compound."

"I must think." With tears in his eyes, he raised a hand over his face. "Take them away. Take them away from here, let me mourn."

* * *

Well, they almost got away; or did they? How close to escape did they really get? So they've learned a great bit, but also just took out perhaps the one stronghold that would have been the least harsh on them. Will it get easier on them or harder? Who can say. One thing is certain, Helena gave them a name, but did she misspeak and Jade misheard, or is Jade simply in denial? That said, how will the new head of the Sidero family react once she learns what just took place? Already thorns in her side for the longest time, now they just caused a major problem and the death of one of the leader's cousins. If they weren't in for it before, they most certainly are in for it now, would you agree?


	5. Insider Information

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 5 (Insider Information)

"Where's Tori?" Beck looked around the meeting place, surprised to see only three of them there. Tori was a big part of the small group they were forming, so he was wanting to make sure she was in on whatever they were discussing.

"She's busy with her dad." Sam crossed her arms and leaned back in the chair. "There was a death in the family or something, a second cousin." He frowned while pulling back a chair from the table.

"Damn. That sucks." He caught from the inflection in Sam's tone that she didn't mind not having Tori around; it wasn't hard to see why. Since Jade was gone, Tori seemed to be latching onto him quite a bit, and while he wasn't overly fond of it he was trying to give her the benefit of the doubt that she might just be reacting out of fear. "You guys okay with her not being here right now?"

"Yeah." It was Andre that answered this time, hunched over his hands that were closed up on the table. He seemed just as annoyed as Sam was, though Beck didn't understand why. It was like they'd taken to acting the same way Jade had been. "It might be better that she's not here right now, because I'm about to insult her father left and right."

"Huh?"

"The police have been doing _nothing_ , and he's supposed to be giving them direction." Andre smacked the table with the palm of his hand and narrowed his eyes. "I've had to put Grandma in the retirement home Cat's grandma is in, and I can't even go home because I can almost feel these people breathing down my neck." He pointed at himself and started growling. "The Sidero family or whatever, they're not going anywhere, and Mr. Vega's done nothing to try and help us."

"I'm sure he's working on it." The reality of it was that the police couldn't do too much right now. They didn't know anything going on, and that was a major problem. "This is a crime organization that, who knows how big they are, the police can't just simply start making arrests yet. Were you able to give them any information at all?"

"Yeah, facial descriptions and whatnot."

"So they can go off that. What else can there be though? I mean, at best, the police could put us all in witness protection." This was a crime organization where even if you're taken from the list, there are higher ranks that will keep sending people after you. "I've done some research on organized crime in the past, and I can tell you right now Andre, it's not an easy situation. They're deadly, and I mean deadly…like insects, kill one and another comes in its place."

"I know, I'm just frustrated." Andre swept his hands through his hair and looked to a window. "I'm all for getting protection, but I guess you're right. The police can't help us here. Who can?"

Sam raised her hand and the two men quieted. "I've brought the issue to my family, and they're going to discuss options." She crossed her arms and Beck started to smile. "It's not much right now, but it's better than nothing. They've already started doing some research, and some things they already know."

"Like what? What do they know?"

"That there are major networks in every country, but the top brass are mainly in the western hemisphere." Sam raised her hand, lifting four fingers. "Jorge was the name of the head deciding to expand to the western hemisphere. He had four children, and one brother. His brother's name was Ramón, he assigned Peru to Ramón's son Carlos. So Carlos has been busy expanding in Peru and South America."

Beck leaned back slowly in his chair, nodding as he tried to picture the networking process Sam's family had laid out. "Jorge's oldest son is stationed somewhere here in Los Angeles; but my family is uncertain who he is or where he is."

"That's not helpful."

"The Sidero family tends to be fairly good at hiding out-at least this one is. Mostly because Jorge's eldest became the head of the Sidero family, and served as the longest head of the family."

He understood all that, but it terrified him to think of what it could mean. If the eldest was someone of popular note in Los Angeles, then it could mean a lot of corruption. "Do you think he's expanded then? If he's been serving that long, Los Angeles can't be the only city…"

"It's not." Sam glanced sideways, her nostrils flaring out. "My father told me the Sidero family has bled all the way across the state of California in thirty plus years. They're now beginning to reach out to bordering states, I think. Los Angeles is just home base for the guy's youngest child."

"Basically the kid's playground," Andre muttered in reply. "Which we can tell from how the gangs in the area are getting busted up."

"Right. The kid wants LA to themselves, I think."

"Could that be Raul?" Beck had to know if they'd met the leader of the Sidero family already. "The guy at the hotel?" Sam shook her head and Beck started to pale. "So where does he fit in, then?"

"My dad told me his sources were saying Raul is just Jorge's second son and the second in command. He's over in Madrid, where the new head probably is. He oversees many of the hubs and strongholds that litter the eastern hemisphere."

"Where else do they have bases over there, besides Spain?"

Sam began counting off her fingers, each location rolling off the tip of her tongue as if she were reciting textbook answers. "Africa, the UK, China, India, Ireland, Turkey, Ukraine, Korea, Japan, and even Italy." She narrowed her eyes and chuckled. "My family's kicked them out of Italy, though."

"Yeah, the Italian mafia. Probably not willing to share."

"Not a bit." Sam glanced to the empty chair at the table and started to smirk. "According to my dad, the Italian mafia families hate the Sidero family. My family is one of the Italian mafia families constantly at ends with the Sidero family." Beck's jaw dropped and he had to do a double take.

"Whoa, you can't be serious."

"I was wondering how my dad knew as much as he did prior to his research. According to him, some of the Irish crime families have issues with them too; but they married into one of those crime families."

"Really?"

"Yeah, the last head married an Irish woman that wound up being connected to the Irish mafia. Just like, it sounds like the _current_ head is fixing to marry into the Russian mafia."

"Sounds like the Sidero family is attempting to end a potential war between mafias before it really begins."

"It'll happen." Sam leaned back, laying her hand flat on the surface of the table. "Eventually it'll happen, given how much tension there's been over the years. I hear even that while the Sidero family is one of the top families in the Spanish mafia, the other mafia families within aren't too pleased with them in recent years."

"Interesting…" Still curious what the western hemisphere was like under the Sidero reign, he wanted to continue. The more information, the more he would understand and the more they might be able to find someone to help. "So, Jorge had four children? What about the other two? Did they get put in the western hemisphere too?"

"Yes. Jorge's, I want to say _third_ child, got thrust into Mexico. I think his name is Manuel, and he's basically been expanding down the Mexican belt and through Guatemala, El Salvador, the Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Dad says it seems his reach is finally spreading into Panama."

"So he's been successful."

"Yeah, him and the last head, apparently. Even though the Sidero clan probably has a fuller hold on California, it's the only state they have. However, they have connections and pull to some in various other states…So I wouldn't go so far as to say it's accurate to suggest California is the ' _only state_.' _"_

"And what of Jorge's youngest?"

"Not _as_ successful, but more successful than Carlos according to my father." Beck shifted in his seat, nodding uncomfortably and furrowing his brow. "Carlos got sick and his associates weren't able to expand to the remainder of South America. So they've got a hold on Peru, Ecuador and Columbia. It'll probably be Manuel that expands into the rest of South America; if Carlos's daughter doesn't."

"Alright."

"Now onto Jorge's final child. A daughter, actually. Her name is Beth." Beck's eyebrows went up and he hummed to himself. "She's been assigned Cuba and Dad says she has a stronghold in Havana somewhere. She's expanded to the Dominican republic and Puerto Rico. Apparently she's working on the islands and may actually help Carlos in South America along with Manuel, if they get to him."

"Fair enough."

"She's not been having the best of luck either, however. There are other mafia families from a different mafia stationed there, so she's been dealing with a major power struggle. Of the four strongholds, she's probably the closest to having a full-blown mafia war."

"And Los Angeles is just dealing with gang problems, treating street gangs like pests."

"They have to be careful though." Sam placed her hand on the side of her head and closed her eyes. "That's the thing about pests. They're annoying, they may seem like nothing when you see one here and there; but if they ever build up they can become lethal and deadly."

Andre laughed, drawing attention from them. "What?" He shrugged and his lips formed a smirk. "Wasn't the Bubonic Plague caused by rats? I'd almost hate to see them wiped out because they treated 'common street gangs' like nothing."

"It's the same train of thought that my dad says most mafias think like. Including ours." Sam stood up and locked her hands behind her back. Beck hung an arm over the back of his chair and Andre curled a hand under his chin. "Mafias are highly organized, with a large structure and they deal in a variety of trades. Gangs are just a group of people with some organizational structure. Gangs also have a bad rap for the majority of their leaders partaking in and using their product; so they're treated with disdain by the mafias out there."

"Because gangs have a bad rap for using their own product?"

"Yes." Sam snapped her fingers and looked up to the ceiling while curling her hand before her face. "Drugs usually. In the mafia world, the leaders are all about business and finances, good leaders will not use drugs or partake in the product that is supposed to be bringing them money. So to see what many gang leaders do…using drugs, soliciting in their own prostitutes that they traffic out into the world…it's almost infantile to the mafia lords."

"I see. Not every gang leader is like that though, right?"

"Not every, but a great many of them do and those are the ones that earn the disdain of the Mafia. Mafia families have a superiority complex, they think business and see gangs as little babies that will bring ruin to themselves through instability."

Andre scoffed. He crossed his arms and shook his head. "They underestimate the gang world."

"It would seem that way, yes. However, you don't usually see mafia families going out of their way to destroy gangs. Most just try to live side by side with the whole 'my side of the fence' mentality." Sam paced the floor, scratching her chin gently. "So here's the real question. Why, if the Sidero family has all this on their plate, would they even bother with you guys?"

"Good question," Beck answered grimly. There was no sensible reason he could find for the leader of the Sidero family to abduct three teenagers and try to wipe out two or three others. "We're all small fry, unless we're missing something here. I mean we do know that some of us have relatives that might be a threat…I mean like Robbie's dad, Cat's mom. Jade's dad."

"Exactly. That might also explain why they were just kidnapped where Andre's attackers tried to full on kill him."

"Yeah, that was a mistake." Beck smirked and shot his best friend a knowing look. Andre looked back at him, pausing for a moment before a bright smile spread across his face. "So how do we get my girlfriend and our friends back? Legitimately, or not?"

Sam stopped and turned to him, her eyebrows rising slowly and her fingers lowering from her face. "What is that supposed to mean?" Andre turned his head, his hand swaying through the air.

"I'm all for unifying the gangs and mafia family for a little bit to take out the Sidero family. You know, if your dad's people would go for that." Sam straightened her posture and locked her hands behind her back.

"Well now…I don't know if anyone wants to go that far right now. We're just trying to figure out where your friends are, and how to get them back. If it comes to a full on war…would _anyone_ be ready for such a thing?"

"It's a thought. Just saying, I know a few things. There are a few things also only Beck knows about me."

"Besides how angry he is," Beck replied. There were things even Jade didn't know completely. One such thing was that he and Andre both were, and had been, a part of the 'street gangs' out there. It was through Jade's urging that he'd left the gang he'd been getting involved in; but Andre was still a major part of his. He just hadn't been entirely active in it, until recent events seemed to be forcing him back in.

"Can we unleash the Bubonic Plague on the Sidero family?" Andre flashed a grin and wagged his eyebrows. "Please? Let the rats destroy them."

* * *

So we have somewhat of a plan in the works. Looks like Sam was able to find a fair amount out, now the only question is when do they discover who is at the head of this snake? How will they react?


	6. Strange Council

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 6 (Council)

It wasn't large, the gang that Andre was a part of. He'd been involved in it since he was thirteen, and as far as Beck was aware, he'd been moved up through the ranks a couple of times throughout the years.

His gang wasn't a highly aggressive one either. They could be territorial, and there were times they'd become aggressive; but those were only when members of their own were threatened. Much like the one Beck had been involved in a few years back, but Jade pulled him out of it because she was afraid of what it might due to him. The one he'd been a part of _did_ become violently aggressive, so he was grateful to her for convincing him to get out.

"So what does the Jag Brotherhood do?" Sam asked with a nonchalant air in her voice. She was interested, but at the same time Beck could see her hesitation. She already explained how she tried to do everything in her power to stay away from 'the game' and had no interest in gangs, mafias, or other criminal organizations like them. Sure, she acted tough and liked to boast how she'd been to juvie, but the worst thing she'd done that got her there was shoplifting something.

Sam could get aggressive, she knew how to fight, and she'd done so on many occasions; but when it all came down to it, she'd become fairly tame and stayed away from the outrageously illegal crime.

"We're just called the Jags," Andre said with a sigh. "It's a reference to jaguars. Our founding leader liked jaguars, and the brotherhood bit comes from the fact that the founding members were brothers. The name kind of stuck." He crossed his arms and shrugged. "Unlike the clan Beck was a part of, our gang is looked to by many of the big-time gangs as being a bit 'pathetic' or 'puny'."

"Amazing…" Sam shook her head and glanced at Beck. "What were you a part of, Beck? Before, you know, your lady got you to leave it."

"Los Chucillos Rojos…" Sam raised her hand over her mouth and small cracks spread from the corners of her eyes. Beck let out an exasperated sigh in response. "Yes. The red knives. I know. Founded by a couple hot-blooded Mexicans, they tried not to cause too much chaos…but eventually they started clashing a lot with some of the bigger gangs out on the streets. That's when Jade got me out."

"How'd that end up happening?"

Andre looked over his shoulder, giving off a smug smirk. "She told him it was them or her. If he didn't leave the gang, she'd leave him. So he left them." Sam rolled her eyes and started to mutter.

They continued their walk to the small building that housed the Jags. Beck was curious how this meeting would go, especially with the way things were. Both the Jags and the Chuchillos lost several of their leaders in the recent attack by the Sidero family, so they were likely licking their wounds.

"I know Jade would hate to see me going back to them or even associating with them; but if they can somehow offer help in finding her…I'm willing to do it." The Chuchillos were next, after all. Andre and Beck wanted to get the two gangs on board with revenge, even though they had no way of knowing how to do so.

Hell, they weren't even sure two small-time gangs of Los Angeles were going to take on a big time mafia family. Chances were, the gangs would be wiped out without so much as a blink of an eye.

Even still, if they were truly on their last legs, they would both likely rather go out with a roar rather than a whimper. "Have to do what you have to do." Sam let them go ahead to the front door, following them from behind.

Andre pushed open the door without knocking, as though he owned the place. To Beck's surprise, his friend was welcomed wholeheartedly by those inside. A thin-framed figure approached them, he had dark skin and dreads that hung loosely on top of his tomato shaped head. "Rafael," Andre spoke with a smile. "How are you?"

"I'm okay." Rafael took a deep breath and reached for Andre. Andre's forearm hugged Rafael's and he reached around the boy's back, patting him gently. "It's good of you to come, Andre." Beck crossed his arms and hung back with Sam. He was stricken with curiosity and surprise, he had no clue where Andre stood on his rank. "Maybe you can shed some light on what's going on…we've stayed out of the way of other gangs for the most part, so I don't understand-" Rafael's eyes welled up with tears and he started to clear his throat. "Why would Joe be gunned down like this?"

Andre looked back to Beck. "Joe's Rafael's older brother, and he…" His voice started to break. "He was the leader of the gang. Jones and Thomas were our leaders as well, and I-I was the lowest of the leaders."

Beck's jaw dropped open and his heart stopped. The words burned his ears and struck him like a piledriver. "Y-You were…" Speechlessness gripped him as he realized what this meant. Andre was targeted not only as someone that offended the Sidero clan, but as one of the leaders of the gangs being hit by the family; and his survival made him leader. "Andre, why didn't you say something? We're best friends. We have each other's back."

"I know." Andre bowed his head and his eyes narrowed intensely. "I just didn't know what you'd say, I didn't know even how Jade would react. Hell, I was thinking of leaving the gang myself, focusing more on my life, on my future." Andre looked back to the others in the house, his chest expanding and shoulders rising. "But now I don't see much of a choice."

Rafael dropped his hands to his side and closed them tight. "Do you have any idea what gang is responsible for this? Andre, all I know is my brother said he and the other guys all got these weird red cards with spades and fire on them."

Andre's eyes lit up with rage and he started to nod. "I do, but it wasn't another LA gang." Rafael's eyebrow arched and he leaned back a bit, opening his mouth as if to speak. "It was a family of the Spanish mafia, my friends got those cards too; and three of them got kidnapped."

"Oh my god."

"We're wanting you guys to come with us to talk to another gang, one my friend here was a part of once. Maybe talk about uniting some of Los Angeles's gangs and punching back."

Rafael's lips pressed together and a look of determination flooded his eyes. "Yes, we'll follow."

"It might mean violence though, that's the one thing. If we decide to go after the Sidero family…there's going to be a war." Rafael dropped almost instantly, his teeth clenched and he studied the floor with a look of intense hatred. "I know the guys were always against violence, and that's something important about the Jags, but, Rafael, there may not be a choice in the matter."

"If it comes to that." His hands balled up further and he raised his head. "If it comes to that, so be it."

The Jags followed them to the home base of the Chuchillos, who seemed more hesitant despite their own anger and lust for revenge. "What can we do?" Asked Hector Jimenez. Beck knew him not as one of the leaders, but the closest in rank to being one. Though he himself was long gone, Hector was looking up to Beck as if he should be one of their leaders.

"We are small, we are nothing! To try and fight a mafia family, we're unlike them. Mafia families have the protection of other mob families, should they come under attack by outsiders. They have allies, where are our allies?"

"We might have some allies yet," Beck replied. To his amazement, the leaders of the Chuchillos had also received the same red cards as they had. It made him wonder if every gang leader received one of them as well.

"Who?" Hector scoffed and laughed while brandishing a hand towards the members of the Jags present. "Other small time gangs that might barely make a dent?"

The front door was open, and Hector's voice was loud enough to be heard all the way out to the street. Beck thought about closing it, but by the time he got a chance to say something, somebody was strolling inside and casting a long shadow over everyone.

"You'll have help from bigger gangs," the man uttered. His clothes were raggedy, his eyes were dark, and he had long wavy black hair that framed his face. In his hand he held a large red card with a black spade on it. "My name is Jesse Klein. I'm the leader of the Black Knights…My fiancé and I just survived a hit, and we're trying to find all the gangs that have been given these cards." He tossed the card on the floor and all eyes fell onto it, widening as they studied it.

"Yeah," Beck said with an exhale, "Every gang is getting those." Jesse narrowed his eyes and Beck walked over. "Also, it's a mafia family. The Sidero family. They have our friends…"

The Black Knights were one of Los Angeles's biggest gangs. They were more pacifist than most, focusing primarily on their product. Beck thought of them when Sam had been going on about how gang leaders tended to be users of their own product; but he pushed it aside.

"The Sidero family?" Jesse inhaled deep, his piercing dark eyes looked as though hungry for blood. "They're the ones doing this? Not just some crazy fucked up gang feasting on power or something? A _mafia_ family?"

"Yeah…"

"Would you be willing to come talk to a council?" Beck furrowed his brow and Andre walked over, verbally questioning what council this was. Jesse crossed his arms and looked to the other members, then back. "Some of the larger gangs have formed a coalition of sorts, with what's left of their leaders trying to figure out what's going on and how to resolve this. I'm a part of that council, we could use some input from someone that knows what's going on."

"We don't know much, except for who is behind the attack. Even then, we don't know _who_. We know a particular branch of the Sidero family is responsible, but not the names of those involved in that branch."

"Fair enough. Better than nothing."

The council in question was not a large one, mainly consistent of five different larger gangs, including the Black Knights. They were devoted to one cause: Finding and eliminating whatever was taking down the gangs.

Beck and Andre approached the table with some hesitation. Beck was more nervous than his friend, and debating how deep down the rabbit hole he was willing to go.

"I suppose it doesn't matter." He exhaled and looked into the eyes of those glancing back. "My girlfriend's out there, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get her home safely. I know she wouldn't want me working with the gangs at all, but the way I see it, the police aren't going to help…"

He got some nods and murmurs of agreement that gave him a little comfort. Grasping the edges of the chair in front of him, his knuckles turned white and his eyes grew narrow. "I'm here proposing unification not only of the gangs falling under attack, but between them and a mafia family that may be willing to help."

"Say that last part again," Jesse responded. "You want us to team up with another mafia family against one mafia family?" Beck moved his hand towards Sam, who glanced up from the cell phone she'd been using as a distraction.

"Her father is a part of an Italian mafia family that's had more than a few run-ins with the Sidero clan. I think if we can ally with them, we can put a stop to the Sidero family's efforts against you all. We can get my friends back, and maybe even cripple their network."

Jesse leaned forward, folding his hands over each other and rendering himself silent. He seemed to ponder for quite some time, looking to the other gang members surrounding him.

Being the only official gang leader that survived a hit against him, the others in the council were falling to Jesse for higher guidance. "Okay." Jesse lowered his hands with a long sigh and shook his head. "Let me talk to this Italian mafia family, and if we can arrange something, we shall see."

"I know historically gangs and mafia stay out of the way of each other, but I think this calls for extreme measures. The Sidero family has to be stopped."

With luck, they might talk to Sam's family and decide where to go from there. Beck partially felt like he was using them, setting the gangs up for a war where all he wanted was to get Jade back.

Once the talks had been initiated, there was nothing left to do but wait. Until then, Beck went to Tori's place to let her know what was going on. Andre went with him, but Sam had to stay behind in order to get her own family on board with everything.

"It's hard on her," Andre said while walking up to the door. "You can tell."

"I know. Sam didn't want to get involved to begin with. I'm glad she's willing to try and help, but let's try not to push her too much. Let her have break, you know." Andre started to nod as he knocked on Tori's door.

"Still wouldn't want to mess with her, that girl seems tough as nails."

Tori opened the door and smiled gently when she saw them. "Hey guys, did you have a productive few days?"

"Yeah." Beck folded his arms and leaned against the support beam for the porch. "We've got some people that might be willing to help." Tori closed her eyes and exhaled.

"Good. I'm glad for it."

"How about you? Any luck talking to your dad about ramping up the police work?"

"Not quite. He says he has his officers looking around, but he can't push them much more. He can't force results to appear, you know."

"That's the rough part, true as it is…"

"He's trying." Tori reached for Beck's hand and gazed into his eyes with a deep smile. "We'll get there Beck, don't you worry." Andre started to grunt, then pushed between them.

"Why don't we go inside?" Andre folded his arms. "We can all get some rest and talk." Tori agreed and made her way into the home. Andre motioned for Beck and followed him inside.

* * *

Well it looks like some allies are brewing, since it seems the police may not be able to help. If they truly are even looking. So, who else thinks it's a horrible idea to fill Tori in on the alliances getting ready to build?


	7. Finding Focus

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N: To my loyal and favorite readers that have stuck by me, who ship Jori and have still stuck by me knowing that I just can't see that pairing...I will write a Jori for you. I shall find a way using a recent plot idea. To that I will warn, be careful what you wish for, muahaha. As regulars, you should know that means be very afraid because you know me, I'm gonna put some characters through hell. In a world where reputation is so important, and only one person stands by you when that reputation crumbles to the ground...Enjoy the chapter of THIS tale now

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Chapter 7 (Finding Focus)

Jade gazed at her two friends with a heavy heart, she wasn't sure how much any of them could take and the roller coaster didn't appear to have an end in sight. Robbie was rocking against a wall, slowly hitting the wall with his head while Cat was staring into space with a distant look in her gaze.

Wherever they were, it didn't seem much better than Peru; if it were possible to find anywhere better in these circumstances. The roads were littered with people carrying signs and others screaming as violence erupted in the streets.

The mansion they'd been carted away to wasn't bad, though it didn't look like that of a mafia lord's home. It was a simple two story with a patio and upper floor balcony that wrapped around the house. The railings were made of beige painted material and support beams that looked ancient. Between each support beam and on the ceiling were wooden arches, and windows that framed the balcony and patio.

Jade remembered the mahogany door they entered into, and she could picture the beige home vividly. The sky had a strange smoky hue, with an orange landscape and dark clouds. The ground was brown, dry and cracked, with patches of pale green grass that littered the landscape.

These colors were important to her, crucial now. All her life she never thought she'd care for colors, preferring her pastel black and white, putting in her purple hair highlights or pale blonde. Now she wanted to know, no, remember every color and every shade.

Sounds were next, sounds she'd never paid attention to like the singing of the birds in the sky or the soft whistle in the wind. These things reminded her what it was like to be alive, gave her something to hold onto and to yearn for.

"We might be in Cuba," Jade said finally. Cat didn't budge, but Robbie turned his head and gave her an empty look without words. "I don't know for sure, but if the war-torn streets are any indicator." Robbie opened his mouth, but said nothing more. Jade responded with a mournful smile and reached over to him, patting his wrist. "Don't worry Robbie, hang in there. We have to. We have to believe-"

"Believe what? Believe the police will help us? That the American government will help us? No one knows where we are, we're going to die Jade. We are going to fucking die." Tears welled up in her eyes and she withdrew her hand. It was difficult to be the one trying to see the light, when she'd been the pessimistic one for so long.

"I know it's hard to think about, but we have to keep a hold on hope. If we don't, then we really won't make it…"

"Yeah." He scoffed and crossed his arms. "If you say so." She closed her eyes and looked away with a heavy sigh. She wouldn't let anything happen to the two of them, but she needed to keep them afloat if they were to make it through this alive.

Cat started to cough, her split and faded red hair shaking before her gaze. Jade hurried over to her and carefully groomed back the girl's hair. "Jade?" Cat reached up and wrapped her fingers around her hand. The girl leaned her head against her forearm and shut her eyes. "I can't cry anymore. I can't do anything. Can we talk about something, anything…at least they're keeping us together."

"Yeah Cat, we can do that." She sat beside her friend and let her roll her head upon her shoulder. "What's on your mind?"

"Our friends. Andre, Beck, and even Tori. Why didn't you ever like Tori? I know you were upset with her at first because of that whole thing in Mr. Sikowitz's classroom when you first met her."

She looked to the side and shrugged. "I'm not sure." Cat moved behind her and took the ends of her hair, slowly smoothing out the creases. Jade leaned upright, smiling as the girl proceeded to create a braid. She folded her hands in her lap and bent her legs beneath her body. "I just-I guess something never set right with me. Something about her made me nervous. I've never felt so weird about someone, it was like she was more than a girl flirting with Beck; more than a potential 'threat', but I couldn't really put my finger on it."

"I understand, I think."

"I just didn't trust her." She bowed her head a bit and breathed in as she felt Cat's gentle tugging on her hair. "I tried to ignore it, tried to push it aside and be her friend; and I think I've been doing a good job lately."

Robbie pressed his back against the wall and slid his arms across his chest. "What about Beck? Did you ever tell Cat how you two met?" He cracked a smile and Jade glanced up at Cat, watching as the girl's eyebrows drifted up.

"I don't think so," Cat answered, "How did the two of you meet?" Her heart skipped a beat and a warm feeling washed over her. She visualized Beck and hugged herself as she imagined his arms wrapped around her.

Their actual meeting wasn't anything fancy, just a simple passing in the hallway. Still, the moment they connected, that spark was there. "We just started seventh grade, I was the weird gothic girl that other kids called 'vampire' and stuff." She chuckled as a tear slid down her cheek. "Of course I didn't know Beck existed, even now I can't imagine him not being a part of my life anymore."

Robbie chuckled, he raised a hand and pointed out a finger. "Yet the two of you passed each other almost every day, I think." She nodded, remembering how his third period was her fourth period class, and vice-versa. "I don't know what on earth made you two notice each other finally. You and him both always say it was just 'another routine day', but I think we all know it wasn't."

"You're right." Jade let out a wistful sigh and her heart filled with a sense of longing. "Students in my class that day were a little harsher than usual, calling me things like _Elvira_ , or a witch, a demon…even a devil. I was nothing to anyone, a nobody that was even less important than a grain of sand."

She felt Cat's hands pull away from her head and turned to see the girl with a misty gaze. Jade took a deep breath, her chest and shoulders rising and holding for a moment before falling with her exhale. "I ran out of my classroom five minutes early, just trying to escape. I was going to run away, drop out of school and never look back. I didn't care about anything-not my reputation, not what my family would think, nothing at all. I hated them, I hated the world and everything in it. I hated everything those kids stood for."

"I'm so sorry." Cat hugged her, holding her tight. She smiled as her body began to heat up. She hugged her friend back, then gently pulled away. "Go on."

"Well, I wasn't looking at anything in front of me." Jade pushed her hair over her shoulder and laughed as the visual of Beck zooming in on her came to mind. "He was skipping class or something, I don't remember what, but I ran right into him. Must have looked like a bat out of hell." Her cheeks burned red and she raised her hands to her face. "I was so embarrassed that I just kept running."

"Mistake of making a hit and run on someone that can actually catch up with you," Robbie chortled. She snickered in response. "He ran after you to see what was going on, right?"

"He did. I thought I was fast, but he was faster. Eventually my legs were just too tired and I had to stop running, when I looked back, there he was leaning up against a wall…"

"He does a lot of cardio, or at least back then he rode a bike almost all the time."

"True." Jade stood up and moved towards the iron gate that blocked them off from the rest of the room lit only by a small amber lamp. "I was breathing heavily, could barely talk when he asked me what I was running from. When I could catch my breath, I told him, and you know what he says?"

"What?"

"'People suck'." Robbie laughed and clapped his hands while Cat's smile grew into a grin. It was heart-warming to see them in better spirits now, now that their mind was off of the current circumstances and onto something different. "He said they're the vampires, feeding off like hurting people and causing drama. We chatted for maybe an hour before a teacher caught up with us and gave us both detention for skipping class."

"Wow." Cat's mouth formed an oval shape and the girl quickly shook her head. "I don't get it, if you went through that, why did you end up becoming one of those type of people?" Jade looked downward, her joy depleting momentarily.

She had no real answer for that. "I guess maybe I just wanted to hurt them like they did me, but it got away from me…eventually became a habit." She wasn't inherently a bad person; but it was hard not to find joy in causing pain for others. A trait she knew wasn't good or right, but for the longest time she simply did not care. "I was angry, I was hurting. I know Beck tried to steer me away from all that, but I couldn't help it. Over time I just got a sense of power, being the one on top and finally having people respect me."

"Except, Jade, fear isn't respect." Jade pursed her lips and her forehead crinkled like paper as Cat swept her hands through the air. "Fear is fear. People didn't respect you, they were afraid of you and avoided you because they thought you would do something bad to them."

"Not that long ago, I'd say you were wrong and full of it." A sore chuckle fell from her lips and she paced to the right of the cell, eventually leaning against a corner. She crossed her right leg over he left and looked away at the rest of the room, her tears slowly seeping from her eyes. "I'm not sure when it clicked, really. I don't know what it was that made me stop and realize what I was doing to people. Part of me still has that need, that desire to act in a way that I _know_ is wrong. It's hard, really hard." She furrowed her brow and looked down at her shoes. "Part of me wonders if maybe I'm to blame for where we are right now…"

"I'm sure you're not," Robbie answered. "If anything, we all contributed to that, I think. I know I'm not the only one that heard _her_ name." He frowned and Jade shook her head. She still wanted to think she misheard, or that it was some sort of coincidence.

"You know how common that name is? I mean, what are the chances it's actually her? It-it can't be." Cat and Robbie exchanged tired looks, then Cat reached for Jade's shoulder.

"Jade, the name really isn't all that common."

"I know, but I can't-you can't honestly believe that she would do something like this to all of us?"

"Well?" Robbie moved towards her, his eyes narrowing and his hands closing up. "Let's admit, how well do any of us really know her? None of us took the time."

"We have no proof that it's her." Cat and Robbie both looked worried, as if they thought she was missing something. Perhaps she was being blind, maybe purposely in denial; or maybe she was clinging to the hope of something that in her heart she knew to be wrong.

"We have no proof that it isn't her." Robbie released a despairing sigh. If it were her, then she had to consider what that would mean for everyone; for them, for the Vegas. "Jade, you know Beck has always praised your judge of character, your instincts and sense of how someone is really is better by far than his." Robbie shut his eyes and smirked. "Trust me, I know my best friend. I can't tell you how many times his poor judge of character has gotten him into trouble."

Jade stifled a laugh. She knew the moments Robbie was speaking of, all like distant memories. "Go on." He cleared his throat and spread his arms out.

"As much as I don't want to think, as much as I know Cat doesn't want to believe it like me, we have to take into consideration that gut feeling you say you've always had about…you know…" Jade tucked a strand of hair over her ear and slowly shook her head. "Right now you're the only one of us three that isn't in a completely dark place mentally, don't lose a grip on your instincts. Please. We kind of need you right now…"

"Really?" Her eyebrows came together and she looked up to Robbie with a hopeful smile. "You do?" Cat nodded and Robbie let out a laugh.

"You just let us escape this place for a brief moment, going back in time talking about the moment you and Beck met." She smiled more, her heart rising up out of the muck. "We _need_ that. I mean like you said, if we're going to survive this fucking place, we need each other…please don't let denial cause you to lose your grip on reality."

"I know, I just don't know how to process any of this right now." She ran her hand through her hair, rubbing it vigorously. "You think Tori knows?" Cat moved her hands to her hips and Robbie gave her a look as though she were trying to make two plus two equal nine.

Her shoulders fell and she closed her eyes, groaning painfully. "If it is true, I mean if it's really fully true, then how do I stomach that? It feels like it would be betrayal."

Cat's hands slid down her hips and hung loosely at her sides. "If it's true, then how could it be betrayal?" Jade looked up, her eyebrows quivering on her forehead. "For it to be a betrayal, that would mean they'd have to have truly been our friend at some point, right? How can you betray someone you never truly cared about?"

"Are you saying everything was a lie?"

"Something to think about…maybe not something to focus on right now, though." She was right, they had to focus on how to get out. She didn't care about anything other than survival at this point.

* * *

So it looks like while Jade is able and trying to keep her friends afloat, they're trying to be there for her in the sense that someone needs to keep her afloat as she realizes and is in denial about some of her closest "friends". Interesting little story about her meeting Beck for the first time, great way to get their minds off their captivity for a bit. What are your thoughts on everything?


	8. The Threat

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

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Chapter 8 (The Threat)

"You are doing too much." The new head of the Sidero crime family looked towards her sibling through the lens of the computer, her eyes were like fire and her lips were curved into a disapproving scowl. "We _need_ those gangs. They may seem insignificant, but they are in fact a large source of our products."

"I've only destroyed the city gangs that refused to cooperate or work with us," replied the younger sibling. Miss Sidero opened her narrowed eyes a bit and the scowl on her face started to relax as she began to see where her sibling's logic was. She'd been concerned that the child had become unstable and too wild with power, but perhaps this wasn't too out of control. "Those that are with us, that we are able to pay off, I have left alone."

"I see. Bear in mind that city gangs are like ants, you may stomp a few out but there are always more in the woodwork somewhere. If you aim to eliminate a single gang, you better eliminate the entire unit. Even still, be cautious, because you don't want those that you attack to rise up and take you out."

"They won't. We have Los Angeles. We have the police, the government, the gangs that are with us, and a number of business."

"Don't get cocky. That is my warning to you. Always expect someone to be waiting to eliminate you…Trust nobody." Miss Sidero crossed her arms and reclined in her chair. "Beth is holding Jade, Cat and Robbie. I discovered that Jade was pregnant a while ago, so I am refusing to allow her to be harmed. I'm told she's been getting bold, so I am allowing her friends to be used to silence any thought of rebellion in her."

"Understandable."

"And her boyfriend? Any news on him?"

"He seems to be trying to locate her. He and his friends, Andre Harris and Sam Puckett." Miss Sidero froze, her brow starting to furrow. She'd been afraid of this, not of Beck or Andre trying to rise up but of the Puckett family getting involved. Perhaps if Sam was kept safe, they would not attack the Sidero clan during this time.

"See that nothing happens to Samantha. I do not want the Puckett crime family to rise up; or the Bensons, for that matter. We do not need a war among mafia clans right now."

It was bad enough that Beth had pressures from the Martinez Cuban crime boss in Havana, and with Carlos's branch in Peru having been eliminated, this was not the time to have two large mafia families attacking them.

"By the way, the incident in Peru." Miss Sidero narrowed her eyes further and growled lowly. "That was the result of my cousin's foolishness, I know. Putting them in the same place as their weapons…I knew Uncle Carlos was weak and Helena fresh off the block, but I was not aware they lacked the intelligence that they did."

"It is my understanding that Marcos informed Jade of a great deal about our family, Sister." She took a deep breath and raised her enclosed hands before her lips.

"I see." Her eyes closed over and her nostrils flared. "I will order his tongue cut out, so that he cannot speak about our family any longer. Uncle Carlos is battling his final stages of cancer…have Uncle Manuel take over Peru and allow Carlos to pass with mercy."

It was known what this meant, she was ordering Carlos's death in the form of a mercy killing. She did feel pain for him, having lost his entire family the way he did and she didn't wish for him to suffer any longer. "I will tell our father to ensure this, Sister. What will you have me do with Jade's boyfriend? He may become a threat."

"Ensure he does not become one." She waved her hand in the air and chuckled softly. "String him along, make him forget about this plight of his. I will send him a message as well, to remind him of what may occur should he continue his hunt."

She lowered her hands and stared back at her sibling sternly. "But be cautious with how you treat the city gangs. Most mafia clans dislike them, true, but we all respect that they are a source of revenue, and we need them on our side. Los Angeles is yours to do as you wish, but if you play too much, you may find it taken from you."

Her sibling froze, staring back at her with raised eyebrows and parted lips. Seeming to understand, the teenager gave a brief, trembling nod. "I see. I may have offended some of the gangs."

"Give me the names of the leaders you believe need reinforcing, and I will attempt to smooth things over with them. My fiancé's uncle has powerful pull in Los Angeles as well, with the Russian mafia dipping their hands into many of the city gangs; if anyone can bring them back to the light, he can."

"You believe so?"

"Of course, many of those gangs are compiled of the city's youth and he is well respected among them. I'll have him smooth things over with the gangs. In the meantime, I want you to focus on bolstering our hold in California; and I also want you to talk to our associates in the other states, it is becoming time to give our connections across America the strength to become the dominant crime family."

They had the connections, they had the politics and the law on their side; it was the competition they needed to sway. The competition would either be bought or eliminated, if they did not see the light, then they would be taken out.

"When the Kennedy family didn't see our grandfather's plan for the country, they were taken out and patsies had been used so no one suspected our family; the nation's leaders will see our plan or they will fall as well."

"I have to ask, how much do other mafia families know about ours? It seems that Samantha has already been given some information on our family from her own…"

"They know a bit, but as far as other families know, our influence in the world is small. They believe we have only the state of California, but we have a hold in every state; and our greatest competition is and has always been the Italian mafia families…we have never had New York; but we shall soon."

"Excellent. I will refocus on my tasks, and I will ensure that Jade's boyfriend soon forgets and will not see the trap that we have planned for him." Miss. Sidero grinned, her eyes flashing with a bone-chilling evil. "Pity they're all just a footnote in our plans. Do you think we can buy the Italian Mafia?"

"So long as the Pucketts and Bensons hold high regard among the Italian families, no. We cannot gain the unity we need as we have with the Irish families and Russians."

"We have to try. Perhaps befriending either Samantha or Freddie will work? They have a friend in Italy, I know this…" A lightbulb went off in Miss Sidero's head and she started to grin.

"Let's keep that in the back of our minds. We don't want to take action, and risk angering either of them; but if it can benefit us to reach out to their friend…we shall."

Beck sat at the table in the Vega living room, holding a deck of cards in his hand and growling in frustration. It was far too difficult to focus on poker now, not when he couldn't stop thinking about those that were not with them. "I can't do this," he muttered. Tori looked over the top of her cards and reached over with a frown.

"It's okay." She ran her hand along his forearm until his eyes drifted up into hers. "I know it's difficult. I miss them too. I'm scared, but I know Daddy's doing everything he can to help."

"It's not enough," Andre muttered, "It will never be enough." Andre was right, more so than he realized. Every waking moment spent trying to relax or get their minds off their friends was hell; and even worse was the feeling that their own time was running out. "How long until they come after us, huh?" Andre dropped his cards on the table, his voice quaked with anger. "They tried to get us once, how long until they come after us again? We can't just sit around doing nothing, we can't just pretend they're not out there."

"We're not a threat to them." Beck's shoulders sank and the corners of his lips tugged back slowly. "We're too insignificant, they don't see us as a problem."

"Exactly." Tori's voice rose, swelling with optimism. "Why would they come after us unless we did something to make them think we'd be an issue? We're just minding our own business, doing nothing at all."

"Yet somehow we offended the newest head of the Sidero family." Beck laughed disbelievingly and shook his head. "How?" He smacked the side of head, letting his hand slide down his face. "We've never even _met_ this person, if it isn't that Raul guy. So how could we have _possibly_ offended that person in any way?"

"I don't know."

"I mean even Mr. Vega said, and Sam's family seemed to imply, the Sidero family has more than enough shit going on right now to be worried about us. So, we would have had to do something really fucked up for the newest head to want to take us out."

Andre reached over, smacking the table. "Keep in mind who got taken away, Beck." Beck furrowed his brow, his chest flickered in and out. "Robbie's dad was the District Attorney, strictly against crime organizations. Jade's father has political leverage of some sort…maybe it wasn't us. Maybe they took them for leverage."

"Jade I'd understand, if that were true. They killed Robbie's family, they have no reason to keep him alive, Andre. How do we even know if-" Just then, the doorbell rang and Tori flinched. She threw her gaze to the door and slowly rose from her seat.

"I-I'll get that." She made her way to the door, hesitating for a moment before opening it. Beck and Andre turned to look freezing up when they saw a well dressed man with a box in his hand. "What's this?"

"For Mr. Oliver," the man said. "A message from the Sidero family." Beck froze, watching as Tori carefully made her way to him. She handed him the box and he stared down at it, uncertain whether he wanted to open it.

It took him a minute, but he finally mustered the courage to open it, gasping when he saw a bloody thumb. A letter was enclosed, and upon it was written a threat.

"Cease your investigation, or Mr. Shapiro will lose the rest of his limbs. Your girlfriend and your friends will be returned safely to you once our plans have finished; but for that to happen, you must be silent."

* * *

Thoughts?


	9. Trusting's Not Easy

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

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Chapter 9 (Trusting isn't Easy)

Beck followed Tori into an indoor roller rink, one of the last few that seemed to exist in the area. "Why are we out here?" His hands were deep into his pockets with his thumbs poking out gently, his half-lidded gaze watched Tori appear to bounce as she walked. "We've got work to do."

"That's why we're here." She stopped and turned around, smiling gently. "We've all been so stressed." He looked to the right, then to the left, slightly satisfied that he didn't see anyone connected to the Sidero family. Although, one could never be too sure. "I just wanted to help get our minds onto a different subject for a little bit."

"So you brought me to a roller-skating place."

"Trina and I used to come here all the time when we were kids." Beck nodded, his thoughts traveling to Trina. She was still away from home, which he thought was unfortunate. Perhaps Tori missed her, but how could he know with how much she put her down? "Ironically, she was always better at this than I was."

"She still at college?" Tori nodded, her lower lip pouting a bit. He didn't want to ask if Tori were nervous about this fact, because it didn't seem to occur to her the same way it did him: Trina being in Spain meant she was in the vicinity of the Sidero family, and that could put her at risk to be used against Tori. "What about your mom? Haven't seen her in a while."

"I thought I told you she was with Trina also?" Tori looked over her shoulders and continued to walk to the front counter. "She's helping Trina unpack." This was strange to him because it had been some time since Trina left and he wanted to know how long it took to unpack; but it wasn't concerning enough for him to care.

"Cool." He leaned against the front counter and positioned his elbow over the top while watching the cashier assist an employee with cleaning a pair of roller skates. "You were asking about Andre's gang earlier, right? The Jags." Tori turned her head and nodded.

"Sure, because you said Andre was over there."

"He is at their base on Oakland Street." He shrugged nonchalantly. "Rafael and the remaining leaders are having a meeting." Tori picked out a pair of pink shoes, humming softly as she inspected them. "Kind of wish Andre wasn't busy, he could join us."

"He doesn't have to. I like it just being the two of us once in a while, able to relax and have some fun." She pointed to a pair of red roller shoes. "Those look good for you." Beck shook his head.

"Not my color." He reached to the pair of black shoes beside them, raising them up. "This is more my color." Tori rolled her eyes and set the shoes down on the counter. He raised his gaze up as the cashier walked over. "Can't say I'm too good on roller skates either, and definitely don't try to get me on the blades." Tori started to laugh.

"You and Jade ever go on those?"

"No. We tried rollerblades one year during Christmas, ended up dogpiling everyone there." He shuddered at the memory and crossed his arms. "Jade never wanted to go rollerblading again after that." Tori let out a slow whistle and blinked in reply.

She pulled out her wallet and handed the money to the cashier, who raised her hand and smiled back politely. "No need, these are on us," the cashier said. Beck leaned back, his eyebrows raising in surprise. Tori picked up the shoes and turned to him, brushing back her hair.

"I know the manager, helped her out once or twice."

"I see." They moved to a bench and took a seat. He set his phone down beside him and proceeded to exchange his shoes, grunting in an attempt to untie his double knotted ties.

"Do you guys have any other allied gangs to try and help out?" Beck shrugged, not really wanting to go into it all right now. Moreover, neither Sam or Andre wanted Tori to know too much. He never understood why, but he could tell they were hesitant around her. He trusted her well enough, so it amazed him that they were so reluctant to share anything.

"A few, not many. Some of these gangs that have come in said the Sidero family once tried to buy them and align with them, but they refused. Same as with other mafia families. Like, take the Jags, they wanted to build themselves up."

"Too proud to receive help from the mafia, huh?"

"Yeah, they wanted to rise all on their own." He remembered his own gang, the Chuchillos well, essentially telling one of the mafia families essentially to fuck off. It was great, but he felt it may have caused a great r problem than they were prepared for: A problem that was now hitting them as hard as others. "These alliances are good, because some of them will pretty much end if the leaders go away."

"Like the Jags?"

"Especially them. Andre, Rafael and a couple others are all that's left of that gang." Finally satisfied with getting his shoes on, he stood and tried to use a nearby wall fixture for leverage. He winced and watched Tori change her shoes. She looked down at his phone as it lit up, but he didn't feel confident enough to move away from the wall.

"Oh Andre sent you a text." She picked up the phone and extended it towards him. "Looks like he's going to visit his Grandma. 'the Meet' is still on though." Beck reached out carefully and took the phone. Andre's grandmother probably needed something urgently enough to pull him away. As far as Beck knew, the meeting was going to be going on all day.

"Great," he mumbled, "Thanks." She smiled warmly and he looked down with a tremble in his body. "Curious, how do you stop these fuckers once you get

going?" Tori rose, swinging her arms outward.

"Easy, you use the little stopper that's on them. Those are like brakes."

"Wonderful."

"Oh come on." She rolled forward and took his hands. He cried out as she pulled him towards her while rolling backwards. "Oh stop it, you big baby. Focus on me, alright?" He looked into her eyes, squinting at them.

She put her hand on his back and guided him to the waxed floor. "I thought you said you didn't do this much."

"I don't anymore, but it's like riding a bike. Once you get on and get going, you don't forget." She tried to pull herself close to him, but he pulled away while still holding on to her for leverage. She frowned at his distance. "What's wrong?"

"Sorry, it's just…you know, this is a bit awkward for me." Denial may be a problem of his, but he was no idiot. He saw her recent come-ons and wasn't comfortable with them. Yes he and Jade had broken up, but he was nowhere ready to move on from her and still wanted a relationship with her. "Just me and you."

"It doesn't have to be anything, Beck." She flattened her lips and narrowed her eyes. "I'm trying to help you stand, that's all. As for us two doing something on our own, why worry? We're friends, nothing more."

"Good."

As time went on, he let her teach him enough to move a bit on his own without the help. At least until she went off to the restroom for a minute. During this time, he wanted to try going on his own to pick up speed and hopefully impress her with the fact that he was able to move well enough on his own.

To his great pleasure, she was thrilled to see him not clinging to the wall or any other fixtures. What was difficult at first had become quite easier now that he was practicing; but he still had a lot of issues to work through.

"Here, you need better balance and form." She rolled around behind him and felt her hands sliding along his shoulders and arms. "Straighten your shoulders, keep your elbows aligned with your waist." He hands moved to his hips and he started to tense as her fingers caressed his thighs. "Spread your legs a bit, keep them straight."

"Tori-"

"Relax, Beck." She rose up and rolled in front of him. Her eyes locked with his and her hands moved to his shoulders. "Now, just like this. Bend your knees a bit as you move but not so much that you stumble. You want to keep your balance. Think of it like a dance, imagine for a moment that I'm Jade-"

"Kind of difficult to think about her right now without, you know-"

"Don't worry about that." She snapped her fingers and he curled his eyebrows together. "I'm Jade. Nothing else in the world matters besides your attention on her." He smiled gently, imagining Jade before him. His heart started to pound as he thought of every curve of her body and the warmth of her eyes and her smile. "Breathe easy, breathe normal."

"Okay."

"Hold on to me. Put your hands on your waist. Nothing will happen, trust me. That's all you need to do. Trust. Do you trust me?"

"I trust you." He slowly moved his hands to her waist and closed his eyes, thinking only of Jade and trying to focus on the skating. "I swear if I go crashing to the ground…" He felt a sudden rush of air and the release of her limbs on him and opened his eyes.

All of a sudden it seemed he was moving in perfect form. With a laugh, he pushed himself forward and turned his head to see Tori smiling proudly. "See, just keep moving like that! I told you to trust me."

Afterwards, they returned to her house where Andre waited for them outside. Beck froze when he saw the angered look on his face and the fire in his eyes. "Those fucking bastards," Andre growled. Tori barely left the car before Andre came rushing to where Beck was. She walked around to his side and stopped behind him. "They attacked my people, Beck. While I was gone, they attacked them!"

"Who? What happened?"

Andre's voice was rushed, panicked and angry. "Another fucking gang, loyal to the Sidero people." Beck's eyes grew wide as Andre raised a hand to his forehead. "Rafael, James, everyone…gone. They're done, we're finished. The Jags are gone."

"It can't be-"

Andre grabbed his shirt and glared into his eyes. "It was a fucking slaughterhouse in there, Beck! How'd they know about the meeting? Huh? How did they know where to find us?" Beck was dumbfounded, unable to find any certainty. "Thank god I wasn't there, but god I wish I was. I could've taken a few of those assholes out!"

Andre released him and stormed to the front door with Beck following in hot pursuit, just as confused. "Call Sam, we need to get together."

* * *

Thoughts on everything?


	10. Denial is a Bitch

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 10 (Denial is a Bitch)

"I don't know how they could have possibly known," Tori explained, "Maybe it was a simple coincidence?" Beck had to admit, it seemed like a coincidence. Andre ran his hand across his forehead, growling softly while Sam remained quiet. "Maybe the Jags had a rivalry going on with another gang?"

"It's plausible," Beck remarked. Both Andre and Sam looked at him with a strange look and he shrugged. "I mean we know the Jags wanted to be stronger, and they were prone to violent action from time to time…could they have gotten into it with someone?"

Andre brought his hand down his face, groaning and shaking his head. "Beck, come on, you know me." He pat his enclosed fist on his chest and a husky tone grew in his voice. "I was leading the damn gang at this point, we didn't have any rivals. The ones we did were too small time for this." He flung his hand up and raised a finger. "We had one enemy at this point. One. The Sidero family! The gang that wiped them out were associates of the family."

"How do you know?" Tori asked. "Did they say they were?"

"Rafael told me with his dying breath." Andre smacked the table and glared into her eyes. "He said the one in charge of the hit informed him that it was an ordered hit by the Sidero clan."

Beck sighed. "The only person I told was Tori when we were at the roller skating rink. Other than that, nobody else should have known about the meeting." Andre's eyes grew and his hand trembled over his face.

Tori ran her fingers down Beck's forearm and ended on the surface of his hand. "I wouldn't have told anyone." She smiled as he turned his head to look into her eyes. He could almost see the sincerity, and he didn't have a reason to disbelieve her. "Maybe you're right Beck, maybe it was just a fluke and coincidence." Andre did a double take while Sam rolled her eyes.

"Would you cut the damn bambi-eyes act already?" Sam leaned forward and Tori flinched, taken aback. Beck started to say something, but withheld any attempt at defending Tori to the blonde. "You've been all over him since Jade got taken, and I'll be damned if you think we don't see it."

Seeing Tori starting to withdraw, Beck felt it might be a good time to jump in after all. "Guys relax." He raised his hand and Sam started to growl. Andre moved his hands down to the table, laced his fingers together and Beck could see his forearms beginning to tense. "I already explained to her that I'm not interested in any of those actions. She said she's not trying to do anything bad, she's just trying to make things easier."

"You don't see what she's doing?" Sam motioned her hand over. "It's fucking obvious what she's doing. She's trying to make a move on you with Jade out of the picture. Are you fucking blind?"

"No she's not."

"I'll be fucked if she's not somehow involved in all this." Tori's eyebrows rose and Sam leaned forward, scowling. For a minute, Beck thought the blonde was going to reach across the table and tear Tori's head from her shoulders. "Probably knows exactly where Jade is, probably just using you and planning on doing something to Jade right now."

"Why would I do that?" Tori snapped back, her voice rising in pitch and fire flaring in her eyes. Beck's jaw dropped when he saw the veins bulging in Tori's neck and her hair seeming to swirl about her. "How dare you accuse me of being so shallow and vain when you don't even know me!"

"Don't I know you? I know you kept getting in the way when I was trying to keep Jade and Cat from getting kidnapped by the Sidero associates." Sam poked a finger out and narrowed her eyes. "Unlike Beck here, we're not charmed by your good-girl, innocent little lamb routine." Tori laughed once and bowed her head, then slowly shook it from side to side.

"I'm on your side. I'm trying to help you the best way I can, and here you're turning on me. Typical." She raised her head and her voice grew menacingly low. "Typical of a mobster's daughter, huh? To turn on those who are trying to help you." Sam stammered and leaned back, unable to reply as Tori turned her eyes to Andre. "And of course, the secret gang leader over here. Why am I not surprised you're so willing to stab me in the back? What have I done? What have I done besides trying to help?"

"What _have_ you done to help?" Andre hissed at her, his brow furrowing. "Beyond trying to woo my best friend in attempts he can't even see?" Andre poked his right temple and scoffed. "Trying to play miss little comfort while he tries to save his girlfriend, maybe in hopes that he'll give up his search to be with you?"

Tori extended her arms, scoffing loudly. "Why do you think I am trying to woo him? I respect him a lot more than that. I respect Jade much more than that also. I know you remember when he tried to kiss me once, and I told him I'd never do that to Jade."

Andre slowly twisted his head and leaned forward, his voice lowering to a deep, hissing whisper. "I also remember you telling me that you did that because you saw Jade in the laptop camera, watching you."

Beck cleared his throat and raised his voice, immediately hoping to end the heated tension in the air. "Guys, enough! Please, we have to work together." He motioned to Tori. "She's not doing anything wrong." Tori leaned back, out of his view, and stared across at Sam and Andre with a smug and cold expression on her face. "She's helping to take my mind off shit for that matter, it's kind of nice to not have to be depressed by constantly thinking about all this bullshit for a time. That doesn't mean I'm going to give up on Jade, I'll never give up on her. Okay?"

Beck looked to Tori, sweeping his hand through the air. "You do need to cut it out also, don't get me wrong…I don't mind the friendliness, but it does sometimes look like you're coming across the wrong way." Tori shrugged and looked away from the group. "Now I thank you for your help, but maybe all four of us need to refocus on what issues are at hand here."

"Maybe." Andre stood up and motioned to Sam. "Come on, let's step outside for a minute." Sam nodded as she rose from the table. Beck stared at them in shock and watched as they left the house.

Andre stepped on the porch, folding his hands over his nose and mouth. His shoulders rose and he slid his fingers down with a low growl. "I've never seen him like this. She's up to something, I _know_ she is."

Sam paced the porch floor, scratching her chin. "She's obviously trying to charm him. The question is _why_. What reason does she have? What's the purpose?" Andre froze, his heart flickering as he looked over his shoulder.

"Do you really think she could be a part of this?" He didn't want it to be true, not Tori. He couldn't see that as a possibility, that a long-time friend could have anything to do with the enemy. "I don't want her to be a part of them, but…why was her card different?" Sam raised an eyebrow at him. "Why did she have a heart instead of a spade?"

"Spade is the sign of death, heart is not."

"Usually a heart embodies love or care, or maybe it's a symbol of something else? She's being tasked with something, maybe?" Andre scratched the back of his head, groaning loudly. "Like some sort of Delilah." Sam smirked.

"Ten bucks says she shaves Beck's hair." He couldn't help but to laugh at the suggestion, though the possibility that Tori could be a part of the Sidero clan was too farfetched for him. Still, he couldn't deny there was something fishy with how she was acting.

"It's too much for coincidence. Jade's taken, and all of a sudden Tori starts sidling up to Beck like a bitch in heat. What's the prerogative? She _knows_ he's suffering and still feels something for Jade. He's not going to give up on her anytime soon."

"Could it be, if she were a part of that clan, maybe it's all a part of the torture? Charm Beck, steal him away, and shove it in Jade's face?" Andre froze, his eyes enlarging. "What would that do?"

"That would crush her. Destroy her. Any hope she has, lost…" If that was the plan, they needed to sway Beck, get him to see what he appeared to be blind to. He needed to center his focus strictly on Jade. "If it is true, we need to stop her at her game…" There was only one way he knew how, and he didn't want to be the person to bring it up; but there was no way out. "Go ahead and call him out here."

"What're you going to do?"

"Tell him about Jade." Sam paused, her lips forming a small oval. She wasted no time going inside and pulling Beck out. Tori stopped at the doorway and narrowed her eyes as Andre guided Beck off the porch. "Beck, I have to tell you something."

Andre placed a hand upon his shoulder and Beck sucked in a deep breath. "What Sam told me, what Cat knew about Jade…" He held his breath and locked eyes with Beck's unwavering gaze. "Jade's pregnant." Beck's eyes grew large, his knees began to shake. "You should hear it from her, but it's so crucial right now and I know it's hard to hear. You need to let it sink in…"

"Why? Why would you tell me that _now?"_ Beck's eyes were filling with tears and he cupped a hand over his mouth. "She-I don't even know if she's alive, and you're telling me…" He gasped and Andre took out a small rag from his pocket. He handed it to his friend, who proceeded to cover his face with it. "I'm a father? Oh god…" As Beck began to heave, Andre put his arm around him and looked at the porch where Tori watched, shaking her head with a tight-lipped expression.

Miles away, in the heart of Cuba, Jade sat in a cold cell with Cat and Robbie holding each other. Robbie's hand was over his wrist, still trembling from the loss of his thumb. He sucked in his breath through his teeth, clenching his eyes. "I hate them," he hissed, "I hate everything about those fucks!"

"It'll be okay," Cat whispered, "We're going to get through this. Somehow. Someway." Jade hugged her waist and looked at the cold bars behind her. She didn't know what the leader's beef with Robbie was, nor why they hadn't been killed yet.

"Why the fuck are they keeping me alive?" Robbie cried out in anguish, biting back on his tongue. "They've killed my family, I have no leverage. I'm no threat to them."

"There's got to be a reason," Jade whispered. "My dad, he's got political leverage. Cat's family-"

"Isn't even a threat anymore," Cat quipped. "Don't you see? This can't be about our families and their connections. There's no reason for the Sidero family to hold us like this, to torture us like this. There's no reason for them to hate us so much."

"We offended them during that play."

"Fuck!" Robbie stood ferociously, his voice echoing off the walls. "This isn't about that infernal play, Jade. There's more to it than that play. Do you _honestly_ still believe we could have offended Raul by falling into his lap?"

"How else could we have offended them? We've never even met them."

"Oh we have." Fire flashed in Robbie's eyes and he leaned close, still holding his wrapped hand. "You're refusing to open your eyes and see it." Cat's expression grew solemn and she nodded slowly. Jade crossed her arms and sighed. "We've met the head of the Sidero family and we've pissed her off big time."

"I don't see it. I can't think for a second-"

"Hey." Someone's voice shattered through the tense air and they turned to see a tall woman with short, curly hair and hazel eyes approaching. It was Beth, the woman in charge of the Cuba hub. "Shapiro, we're in need of you again." Robbie's eyes widened and he started to back up towards the corner, quaking with fear.

"No. You leave me alone. I don't want to be a part of your sick games anymore." Jade shut her eyes, trying to ignore the sound of the cell lock unlatching. She wanted to stand up and defend him, to fight for him, but she'd grown more and more afraid. This woman was sadistic, more than she could have ever thought possible. "Why are you holding us? Why do you care about us? Don't you have more important things to do?"

"Yes we do, and we don't care about you. Miss Sidero just wishes to destroy every fiber of your being. She wants to destroy your soul, make you wish for a slow death before she drains every ounce of blood from your body."

"I don't understand any of this," Jade whispered while turning her head away. "Why does this person hate us so much?" Robbie yelped as Beth yanked him away. "What did we do to her that was so bad that she's torturing us for her own fucking amusement? It's like we're nothing more than a distraction from all of her politics."

"That's exactly it," Cat stated simply. "She doesn't care about us, but she hates us. She wants us to suffer. She has bigger plans that don't involve us one bit, like taking over the mafia families and holding powerful influence over the world. World domination is her plan, but in the meantime…the downtime…she wants to destroy the very people who put her through a living hell. Us."

"What?"

"Don't you see?" Cat walked over, placed her hands on Jade's face, then twisted her head around. Jade watched with wide eyes as Robbie was strapped to a harness and raised up to the ceiling.

"Oh god no," Robbie cried, "What are you doing?" Beth raised a curved blade and launched it in the air. The blade sliced through one of the ropes on Robbie's harness, causing him to drop and flail in the air.

It was a familiar and startling sight for Jade, one that filled her heart with a great sorrow and even deeper fear. She turned herself away, clenching her eyes tight as Robbie screamed in pain. Every thud she heard from his body hitting concrete was felt in her bones, as though she were the one on the harness.

"It hurts doesn't it?" Someone asked. "To see someone you care about in such pain, fearful and uncertain of what is to become of them." Jade froze, her eyes opening slowly. She began to pant and rocked from side to side. Cat looked grief-stricken, and Robbie had fallen unconscious while still being swung on the rope. "A small amusement on the side, nothing more. A time-waster to alleviate my boredom and to distract temporarily from what must be done."

She turned her head, and subtle whimpers escaped her dry, chapped lips. Her frayed hair cloaked her trembling eyes and she watched as an olive-skinned eighteen year old Latina woman turned her cold, unfeeling gaze onto the cell. Her familiar brown hair caressed her shoulders like a lover showering her with adoration.

As Jade met her murderous glare, she could feel the very life being sucked from her. As much as she didn't want to believe, as much as she still wanted to deny it, there was no mistaking the woman before her. "Trina..." Perhaps it was all coincidence, perhaps this was only a woman resembling her-another one of the Sidero family's mind tricks.

It had to be. The Vegas couldn't possibly be this cruel, this evil and calculating.

Could they?

If it were true, then even Beck was in danger. "No." Tears formed in her eyes and she pulled her knees to her chest, hugging them with her arms. "No, no, no…it can't be. It can't be. It's not true." Cat placed a hand on her shoulder and leaned in close.

"How can you not see? I hope Beck isn't in as much of a state of denial as you are right now. She's sitting right in front of us, torturing Robbie in the very way hmade her go through."

"No!"

"She's going to tear us apart, destroy everything until there's nothing left."

"It's not true. Shut up, Cat! Just shut up!" She grabbed her head as the woman on the other side cruelly smirked in reply. "She's just an image, another trick, another phantom. That's all."

"No she's not, she's making us pay for the things we've done to her and her family. That's it, that's all she's doing. She doesn't care about us, we're only here to give her some mild amusement until she gets bored with us."

"No!" Jade screamed at the top of her lungs until it broke into a fit of sobs. Trina walked over slowly, her long dress dragging behind her. She wrapped her hands around the bars and leaned her face close until her cheeks touched the cold steel.

"Denial and Karma are bitches. Aren't they? Cat's not wrong, I'm more interested in my grander schemes than I am revenge against you; but that doesn't mean I won't have a little fun. Anything to take the stress of great responsibility away for a short time."

The cell door opened up and Robbie was violently shoved into the cell. Cat ran to his side and threw her arms around him, seething at Trina while Jade covered her eyes and face with her hands.

"Oh, and try not to cause any more trouble for the rest of my family, would you? I'd like not to have to deal with a repeat of Peru. I'm doing you a favor not ending your lives straightaway, but that doesn't mean I won't slice your throats any sooner than intended if I have to…"

"What do you have planned?" Cat sobbed. "Tell us!"

"Why? That would take all the fun out of it." Trina turned away. "Let's just say it involves a little game of cat and mouse. Beck and Andre are the little mice…" Trina's head lowered and her lips stretched into a slick smirk. "And I have quite the little mousetrap planned for them." She raised her head up and cleared her throat. "When I'm ready for you three, I'll see you in Madrid. Consider yourselves lucky, because the sooner you go to Madrid…the closer you are to death."

* * *

Well now it's confirmed it seems; but the two most pertinent people are having trouble seeing what everybody else sees. Poor Jade, even when faced with the truth before her own eyes, she still refuses to accept-or is she afraid to accept the truth? What does that truth mean for her? Why does she hide from it so strongly? Why does she, why does Beck, refuse to see what is so obvious to them? Maybe they're afraid of being bamboozled, giving so much of their time and energy believing in someone that never truly had their best interest in heart? Oh to be stabbed in the back by your friends, to realize that they never truly were your friend at all...the greatest shock, the greatest pain that ever there could be to realize you put forth all that effort only to have it amount to nothing. The greatest torture.


	11. Connections in Cuba

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 11 (Connections in Cuba)

Standing in the line at the airport, Beck slowly closed his hands. His chest heaved as every breath seemed to be a repeated deep flow of air. He knew his friends thought him to be useless for whatever reason, as if compromised. They didn't trust Tori, they didn't want to meet at her place or share any information with her, and now his closest ally didn't appear to trust even him.

"If Andre won't help me get to you, I'll find you by myself, Jade…" His only clue as to where to start his search was Cuba; and only because he knew the Martinez family.

A long time ago there was a reality show called Shake it Up, Chicago, and Beck had met one of the dancers there. A friend of the dancer's was Deuce Martinez, and during the visit there, Beck had become good friends with both Deuce and his girlfriend, Dina.

The pair kept in contact, and eventually Beck figured out the guy was connected to the Cuban mafia. He kept it a secret as per Deuce's request; but now he needed help from the man. "The Sidero family is trying to take over Cuba, but Deuce stands in their way…" His fists clenched tighter and he grit his teeth. "Sam's people say the war in Cuba's been at a standstill, but that impasse is about to end."

Leaving LA was difficult, but he trusted Andre and Sam to take care of things there. They'd probably call what he was doing stupid and impulsive, but he saw no alternative. They had to contend with whomever was trying to take over LA, and while they did that, he was going to tear down the influence of the Sidero clan one at a time.

Hopefully, Deuce would have connections and ties to other mafia clans that might be against the Sidero.

His arrival at Deuce's family compound in Havana was fraught with emotion and intrigue. The compound was overwhelmingly large, multiple stories and with several different storage unites stationed around it.

The interior was elaborate and fancy, unlike anything Beck had ever laid eyes on. "Beckett!" Deuce stood in the center of the main room, arms outstretched and grin plastered on his face. The man's fiancé behind him, her hair wonderfully groomed and sharp eyes watching his every move. "It's great to see you. How long has it been since you've visited Chicago?"

"Too long. How about you?"

"Same. My duties here in Cuba are great." Deuce met him with a brotherly hug and started to laugh. "I keep in touch with the girls from time to time though. Did you know Cece and Gunther started dating?" Beck chuckled once and began walking with him. "So, what brings you to Cuba?"

"Well, I figured you could use a little help." He pat his chest. "I could use some help to." He reached into his pocket and slowly pulled out the red playing card. Deuce's eyes went large and his hand rose to his chin.

"I see. The Sidero…One of their own is stationed here in Cuba. You must know of the struggle we've had trying to kick them out. Both my family and Dina's has had it rough, there's been blows on all sides."

"Is there any way I can help?"

"I'm not sure. You are just one person, Beck."

"But I'm determined. They have my girlfriend, and she's pregnant with my child." Deuce hummed and started a slow nod.

"I see. The situation is dire for you then. Still, unless you have brought an army with you, what is it that you can do to help our side?"

"I know how to get rid of one of their rackets." He crossed his arms and shrugged. "I've learned a few things during my time with the gang I used to run with." Deuce raised an eyebrow and started to hum.

"Perhaps I have an opportunity for you to show me what you can do. There is a small business nearby, a bake shop, one of the few remaining businesses that the Sidero has a hold on. If you can command a small unit, go in and take that business over…perhaps you can be of some help." Beck was confident he could do this. He'd have to be more cautious than a gang member might be; but his gang had been one of stealth.

"Think taking over the racket would be a benefit?"

"The more businesses that they lose, the more likely we will expose their lieutenants. When we take out the lieutenants, then we will draw out the boss." Deuce locked his wrists behind his back and took a deep breath. "Recklessness I can't afford, however my men have been kept busy trying to defend our own business from constant attacks made by the enemy." He narrowed his eyes. "They won't suspect an attack coming from us right now, and furthermore not from you."

"Alright." He was eager to prove his worth, especially since that worth had been torn down before. "I'll try and convince that baker why they should be paying for your protection." Deuce grinned from ear to ear and started to nod.

"Sidero's people will be on high alert there. I assume you've fired a gun before?"

"I have, but…I've never taken anyone's life before."

"Right. Right." Deuce picked up a small semi-automatic pistol from a nearby table and walked it over to Beck. His brow started to furrow as he took the weapon in hand, it was heavy as though weighted down by the burden it carried. "Today, you will take a life, the life of Sidero family associates…"

His breath grew shallow and he slowly closed his eyes. "Jade would hate this."

"She would also see that there is no other choice. You've entered a world where to defend yourself and those you care about, you must kill to survive. It is either kill, or be killed, because the Sidero _will_ do everything in their power to take you out. Now go out there and show me what you picked up from that gang you ran with. Time for you to be a man."

"I won't let you down."

The bakery that was being hit only had about three or four Sidero associates guarding it. All Beck had to do was go in with the men provided by Deuce, and convince the baker to switch their alliances.

For the most part, he wanted to avoid the bloodshed. If it was necessary to gun someone down, then he'd have to; but the burden still felt far too great.

Looking from his gun to the sky, he let out a slow and long exhale. "Jade, I promise you, I won't let this change me too much." He looked to the door, narrowing his eyes as he saw the red suited associates with rifles standing inside. One had his back to the window, the other pacing.

"There's one standing guard by the back entrance," said one of the Martinez soldiers with him. "We take him out, we should be able to sneak our way in." It was a grand idea, so Beck instantly began moving around back. They took cover behind some trees and peered at the red suited man by the back door. He was puffing away on a cigarette and checking his watch.

"I wonder if we can get in without killing this guy," Beck whispered. He didn't see any other option, unless someone could distract him from the door. "Can we get him away from that door?"

"We can try." Beck watched the man leave and waited until he returned with a woman. He raised an eyebrow as he watched the woman approach the guard at the door. "I have hired a prostitute to lead him away."

"Seriously? You honestly think-" As comical as it seemed and as unrealistic as it sounded, Beck was shocked when he turned his head and saw the guard abandon his post for the prostitute. "Holy shit…"

With the all-clear, Beck guided the men into the back. Chances were unlikely they'd make it through this without drawing some amount of blood, despite how little blood he wanted to spill. Granted, this crippled Deuce's men pretty badly; but this was his run.

They made their way through the back, knocking out any guards they could find until they reached the back office of the bakery's owner. The door was slightly cracked, just enough for Beck to glimpse in. There were two people inside, one was a Cuban lady with dark hair and bright green eyes, and the other was a rotund man with a piercing expression on his face.

"Oh it's him," said one of Deuce's men, "Mr. Mancia-the husband of Beth Sidero." Beck felt his stomach beginning to churn, his heart sank and he watched as the man began to turn towards the door. "If he sees us, we are dead. Here, you must make your stand. Kill him, send a message to the Sidero."

"Kill him?" He pressed his back against the wall and felt his throat tighten. "But-"

"This is the man responsible for hundreds of brutal murders throughout Havana." The man hissed and furrowed his brow. "He and his wife have tortured countless captives, including-as sources suggest-your own fiancé and friends." His eyes grew large and the lump in his throat grew tighter. He reached into his pocket, slowly wrapping his fingers around the handle of his personal pocketknife. "Wherever he is, Beth is soon to be. Kill him now, let the Sidero know that the Martinez family means business."

It was pressure, but perhaps it was necessary. Perhaps he was being put on the spot to test how far he was willing to go to rescue Jade and the others. "Fine," he said with a slow breath. He removed the pocketknife and closed his eyes, listening as Greg Mancia began walking towards the door.

"Just remember," the man growled at the baker. "Any collaboration with the other families, I'll have my men murder your husband and rape your daughters." The baker shuddered and Beck opened his eyes, growling under his breath.

As the man opened the door and stepped outside, Beck let out a sharp exhale and quickly reached forward. His body pressed up against the man, his left arm locked powerfully across his chest and he pushed the blade tight against the man's jugular. The man jerked his head back and gasped aloud. "What is this?"

"This is a message," Beck whispered in his ear, "From the Martinez family and from Beck Oliver." Greg stammered and instantly tried to plead for Beck to spare him.

There was no sparing this man, however. The devil was in his eyes, and he was the enemy. "I'll stop at nothing to save my girlfriend." He clenched his eyes and thought of Jade, feeling a pang of guilt in his chest. "Forgive me Jade." He slicked the blade across the man's throat, flinching as blood gushed from the man's neck. "Oh god."

His knees buckled as the man collapsed before him and he turned away, planting his hand against the wall for leverage as a wave of nausea shot through him. "Oh my god." His eyes traveled to the body laying before him and he began trembling with fear, partly hoping the man would get up and be okay. "What have I done?"

"What you've done was for the best of Cuba," spoke the man beside him. In the office, the baker cupped her hands over her mouth and stared with wide eyes. She ran for Beck, thanking him for the man's death. It was clear they would have no trouble offering her protection.

"What is this?" Someone asked with a shrill voice. Bethany Sidero stood in the hallway, a horrified look on her face. "Greg! My husband." Beck covered his mouth and tried to reach for the gun that Deuce had given him. "You dare?"

She grabbed her weapon and aimed it, just as Deuce's men stepped in front of him and aimed at her. Fighting against the pain in his gut, Beck removed his pistol and moved through them, forcing a shout as he aimed at her. "Where are they?" He demanded. "Where is Jade? Where are Cat and Robbie? Tell me now!"

Beth froze, her lips turning into a slick grin. "Oh, I see." She narrowed her eyes and holstered her gun. "Shoot me. I'll never tell their location. If anything, I'll have them transferred to Mexico."

She turned and began to run for the door. "No!" Beck lurched forward, firing off multiple rounds until one managed to strike Beth in the thigh. The woman dropped to the ground, screaming as she clutched her leg.

Panting heavily, Beck stepped over her and aimed the gun down at her. His chest expanded and his eyes lit with flame. "Where are they?" He growled at Beth's cold sneer.

"You'll never find them. Go ahead. Shoot me. What would your honey think of you then?" Suddenly his entire body was paralyzed by the shock of her words. He saw himself as an image of what he could become, filled with violence and anger; and with it he saw the look of shame on Jade's face.

"No," he stammered, "No." Beck took several steps back, shaking his head from side to side. "I'm no killer. I-I just…I have to find-"

"You may not be a killer." Beth pulled her gun out from beneath her with a vicious laugh. "But that won't stop me." His eyes grew at the sound of the gun's hammer being pulled back. Unable to move, he braced himself for the barrage of bullets.

Gunfire ripped out, but he felt no pain, holding his arms in front of his face. When it ceased, he lowered his hands and saw Beth's lifeless body riddled with bullet holes and covered in blood. Standing in the doorway was Deuce, holding a machinegun in his hands.

"It's over," Deuce remarked, "Good job, Beck." Deuce chuckled and approached. Beck was still frozen with fear and shock, staring at Beth's body, half-expecting it to move. "I didn't think she'd be here, nor did I think her right hand man would be either. Made it a bit too easy for us…"

"It's only going to get harder."

"Most likely." Deuce looked up to Beck and gently pat him on the shoulder. "I expect that if Jade is here in Cuba, she'll be transferred upon word of Beth's downfall. Still, I'll have my men search every corner of Havana for your friends."

"I-I appreciate that."

Elsewhere, Trina let out a vicious growl upon receiving the news of her Aunt's demise. Her fist clenched tight on the desk before her and her expression grew darker. "How can that happen? Aunt Beth and Uncle Greg have _never_ been so foolish. There's no chance in hell they would even take the risk. Their daughter is only twelve!"

"Mallory was in school," the man reported. Trina rolled her eyes and raised a hand over her face.

"Just tell me what happened. Aunt Beth is much wiser and cautious than this. How could this have happened to a couple that's rarely in the same place together?"

"Seems coincidental." The man shrugged. "They were at the bakery to pick up an anniversary cake, and it just so happened that the Martinez family associates attacked at the same time."

"Wonderful."

"Another thing." She tensed, not wanting to hear much else. "It seems that team was led by Beck Oliver." Her hand slid down her face, revealing a much tenser glare than before. The man was struck with fear and started to back up, and Trina had to pause in order to resist the urge to grow violent with him.

"Anyone of the others with him?"

"His friends were not reported."

"How did my sister lose sight of the bastard?"

"Might want to ask her."

"I plan to." She closed her eyes and slammed her fist down on the desk. Her voice began to rise and her stomach churned. "I will not allow any further mistakes to be made. If Beck continues to be a threat, I will slit all of their throats sooner than planned." She hesitated, breathing slow while absently stroking her chin. "Any indication he's getting closer to Jade and the others?"

"No. He may just have connections in Cuba."

"I see. I can't have him meddling about-we will _not_ lose Havana." She leaned back, straightening herself and tapping her fingertips together. "Bury Shapiro to his neck in the sands of Mexico. Have my uncle Manuel guard him and lure him there. In the meantime, my mother has traveled to Ireland where her family resides…send Jade and Cat to them."

"I'll get right on that."

"Thank you." She closed her eyes and let out a low growl. "I won't suffer a minor distraction or any further missteps…"

* * *

So Beck got extremely lucky, lucky enough to find Beth and her husband both at the same location and not in hiding. Of course, that kind of luck won't be easy to come by again. Still, wonder what will happen next? Thoughts?


	12. Separation Anxiety

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 12 (Separation Anxiety)

The lights went on quickly where Jade and the others were kept, and while her eyes were still adjusting, she could hear the metallic clang of the cell door. "What's going on?" She rubbed her eyes with her fingers, groaning as powerful hands grabbed her arms.

"Jade!" Cat's shriek caused her to forget her spotty vision, if only for a moment, and she watched as two large men tried to keep Cat from struggling in their grasp. Nearby, Robbie tried to punch and bite the man grabbing at his arms.

"What's going on?" Jade felt her body jerk and her arms twist behind her. Throwing her gaze over her shoulder, she looked with wide eyes at the burly men holding onto her. "Stop, you're hurting us!"

"Boss's orders." The man threw a burlap sack over her head and quickly tied it around her neck. She screamed as loud as she could, but her screams went unheard. "You're to be transported to a new location." She was yanked to her feet and carted out with her hands locked in an ironclad grip and one hand on her shoulder to guide her in a direction.

"Cat? Robbie?" She threw her head back, continuing to call their names in hope that she could hear them. "Please, say something." Her body was viciously thrown onto what felt like leather car seats, causing a rush of pain to jolt through her. "Please." She flailed her head, still crying out as tears ran down her face. "What are you doing to them?"

Soon, itchy rope replaced the hand around her wrists, binding her. Those very same hands grabbed at her ankles, slammed them together and bound them with rope. "No please, why are you doing this?"

"Because _somebody_ got wise, and now Miss Sidero wants you at a new location." The words burned her ears and filled her with a new sense of horror. "Your friends are being transported in different vehicles, so sit still and shut up. With luck, the trip will all be over soon."

Too exhausted to struggle and too afraid to bite back, Jade curled her body up and closed her eyes. The only sound she would utter were the sobs that never seemed to end.

In Mexico, Robbie could have sworn he was on fire before they took the bag off his head. His hands, feet, and entire body was being held in place. The light that stabbed his eyes gave him a disoriented sensation and it took several minutes for him to come to.

When he did, he found himself in yet another darkened room with glass walls going from his shoulders and down to the ground. "Wha…" His lips were chapped and caked with fresh blood, one lens of his now crooked glasses was shattered, and his hair covered in gritty sand. "Where am I?"

He looked down and his eyes began to widen. In what looked like an ant farm, he could make out his limbs trapped in hot sand. "No. No!" He tried to move his head back, screaming at the top of his lungs. "Please, get me out of here!"

"Scream all you want, little boy." Above him, a large round hole from which the only light came. He could make out the face of a much older man, slightly resembling David in facial features. He had a scar on his left cheek, balding head, and prominent jaw covered by a thick salt-and-pepper beard. "My little sister and her husband are dead, and because of that, you have been ordered 'buried up to the neck in Mexico sand'." His heart began pounding and he tried to raise his body up, grunting and screaming in pain.

"I didn't do anything to your sister. Get me out of here, now!"

"Who are you to order me around? Your friend is making things very difficult for my niece."

"Fuck her, fuck your goddamn niece."

The man closed his eyes and started to chuckle. "I would be cautious with your words, for I hold the only water and food you will receive. It is going to get hot down there, Mr. Shapiro…you'll want your food and drink for the day."

"You're a madman, a torturer."

"On the contrary. I am a General in the Mexican Army. I am very close friends with El Presidenté."

"I don't care who you are. You won't get away with any of this. You and your whole family will be taken down, you'll be stopped!" The man paused, then started to laugh. His laugh pounded Robbie like a drum, and all the hate in the world couldn't give Robbie the strength he needed to continue fighting.

"Poor soul, how vastly you underestimate the power and presence of the Sidero family. Not surprising. Not even our rival mafia families know the hold we have; and it is my niece who will turn on the light switch that ushers us into a new age. One where the Sidero are at the top." He extended his arms and grinned. "Farwell, Mr. Shapiro. I wish I could stay and chat, show you true Mexico hospitality, but I have important businesses to attend to."

The man walked away, turning off the light and shrouding Robbie in total darkness. He gasped out and looked around to try and make out any image at all; but there was none. As his body started to tingle, and the silence grew deafening, he began to feel a new sense of horror overtaking him.

For the first time in all of this, he wished for the finality of death; but he would not be granted such sweet release.

Cat awoke being chained to a wall, groaning as the bruises on her body were reflected in the light of the room she was in. It was bright, too bright; and from what she could tell, she was in a prison cell. "Ah Cat," a familiar voice called to her, "I suggested Russia, but it seems Miss Sidero wanted to keep you and Miss West together. For the time being."

She looked around for the masculine voice, but she couldn't see him. She could also not find Jade. "Where's Jade?" Her voice was raspy and weak. She blinked multiple times, trying to drum up any extra tears. "I recognize your voice. You may as well show yourself…"

"Jade is in another room. You two will be reunited after a few 'introductions' are made." On the other side of the prison bars she could see the oak desk and a large brown chair turned towards her. "I'll be returning to the states shortly, for you see, I came here to aid my future in-law. See, Holland is getting things prepared for the Irish Mafia family, while I am preparing things for the Russian mob."

The chair started to turn, and to Cat's horror, she found herself staring into the pale blue eyes of Mr. Sikowitz himself. His lips curled into a slick smirk and his eyes resembled that of a snake. "No," she exhaled and shook her head. "No. Not you too. Why?"

"Why what?" Sikowitz rose to his feet and sneered. "With the union of my nephew and Miss Sidero, they will have one of the strongest Russian families backing them. Just as Dave and Holland brought the Spanish and Irish families together." Cat began trembling, she couldn't understand how things got this bad. "I'm sorry, I know it seems like a betrayal; but fret not, I've been a part of the mob long before you were ever born."

"Where am I?"

"You are in Dublin at the request of Miss Sidero."

"Just call her by her name. I'm not in denial like Jade." She hissed at him, turning a cold, steely glare upon him. "Trina." The name was like poison on her tongue, and if she wasn't chained, she would be like a viper striking out at her enemies. "You better be glad I'm in chains, because if I wasn't…"

"You'd what?" Sikowitz wrapped his fingers around the bars and started laughing. "Punch the bars? Oh sweet, deluded Cat…just like a caged up kitty you can't attack anyone from there."

"Yeah, but let the cat out." She smirked at him, the fight still in her. "You don't want to see me when you see my stripes."

"Sure." Sikowitz shrugged. "I fear our time will be cut short, my dear. You see, I must return to the states…I have been aiding Holland enough, I must go and ensure the city gangs are coddled in LA. Victoria has made a bit of a mess of things, you see; but we'll work on that too." Cat's eyes widened and her chest heaved.

"I hate you. Traitor. Snake."

"It was nothing personal Cat, I have always been a public figure. After all, I'm put right in the very sight of the children. I must influence them appropriately." He turned his back to her and she hissed angrily. "Farewell Miss Valentine. Say hello to Jade for me." He stopped and turned his head over his shoulder. "She was always one of my favorites, showed so much potential with all that pent up aggression. Pity she can't live up to it…"

"Fuck off!" Cat jerked her body, trying in vain to lunge. "I'll kill you. I'll fucking kill you."

In another part of the building, Jade lay curled in a ball on the ground. In front of her was a glass of whiskey, set there likely as a form of torture. "Go ahead," said a familiar female voice, "Drink. Even you deserve to relax and unwind, and we are in Ireland after all." It sounded so much like Holly, but Jade couldn't see the Vega's mother involved in this criminal underworld. "I say, you and your friends look like you haven't had a drink of something good in ages."

"Why are you doing this?" Jade could hardly muster the strength to move, much less speak; but she had to do something to show she was still among the living. "I don't understand."

"Oh sweetie. You will."

"Why Ireland?"

"Because it is where my family resides. I had to come and update them on what is going on. Soon we will form an alliance with the Russian mob, and a powerful one. The day the Spanish mafia, Irish Mafia, Russian Mafia can all come together…and maybe one day, even the Italian Mafia will join us." The woman laughed and clapped her hands together. "Just think of how powerful we can be!"

"I don't want to think about it. I can't! I just want to go home, I just want to see Beck again and have my baby."

"Oh yes, that's right…" Holly's voice grew sympathetic, but Jade sensed a note of something non genuine in her tone. "My daughter refuses to let any harm come to you because of that thing you're carrying inside of you. Still, even her patience and tolerance has its limits."

The woman moved forward, but Jade could barely see anything but a silhouette in front of her. "Please. Just let me go. I don't know what I did that offended you so much."

"You don't know? Really?" The woman cackled, each laugh was like a ton of bricks bashing into Jade. "You're like a walking offense, dear. You have no concern for anybody's well-being but your own, your conscience is dried up and you have no sense of dignity or respect for your fellow human being."

Jade scoffed and rolled her eyes. Yes it was true that she treated people like shit, but that didn't mean she deserved all that was happening to her. "You're one to talk. You're the monster here, maybe you should take a good look at yourself before calling me a demon."

"Well. Karma sure has its way of working out, doesn't it now?"

Jade rolled onto her back, groaning loudly. "Where are my friends? What did you do to them?"

"Oh don't worry. I'll take you to Cat soon enough she's just in the next room over. As for Robbie, I'm afraid you won't be seeing him again for a while…if ever." Her blood ran cold with fear, and in her desperate attempts to cry, she found herself unable to shed even a single more tear.

Some people guided her to Cat's cell and threw her in. When she saw her fuming friend, she tried to reach over for a hug. Now free from the chains that had bound her, Cat sprawled towards her, taking her up in her own arms. "Oh Jade, thank god." Jade shut her eyes and let herself sink into her friend's embrace.

"I'm sorry Cat. I-I'm sorry for everything."

"It's going to be okay." Cat's eyes flickered with rage and she glared through the prison bars. Her voice lowered to a whisper. "They took Robbie away; but they took the wrong person. If I get out of here, I'll tear them all apart with my bare hands if I have to."

Jade lifted her head, opening her eyes wide. "What?" She was shocked by Cat's words, though she understood the anger. "What do you mean? You can't fight."

"Of course I can." She didn't see how, since Cat was just a feeble and scrawny looking girl. "But more than that, I know how to destroy. Let me put it this way, about my family…" Cat's gaze shifted to the right and Jade started to stretch while leaning away. "My parents moving away had nothing to do with my brothers or me. Our family's always drifted, gone from place to place…I just wanted to stay in LA."

Jade furrowed her brow. "Why?"

"Because I liked it. I liked you, Robbie, Beck, Andre…" Cat shrugged. "My family isn't exactly on the _right_ side of the law. Not in any sort of gang or criminal organization, we've just learned to survive. We…can take care of ourselves."

Still confused, Jade scooted back some. From the tone in Cat's voice, she thought the girl was trying to say she was some sort of criminal. "What are you saying? That you…"

Cat sighed. "Arson, bank robbery, auto theft…you name it, my family's done it." Her heart stopped and Cat crossed her arms. "I didn't want to say anything or do anything, cause I didn't want to frighten you; and honestly I didn't want to be like my parents or brother. I've learned to turn anything into a weapon, make almost anything into an explosive. We've been under too heavy guard to this point, so I couldn't do much, but maybe…"

Cat walked to the bars and gripped them firmly, her eyes flickered with a fire that Jade had never seen before. "If I can get out of here. I'm going to find that snake and make him suffer. Him, and his entire family too."

Back in Cuba, Beck was approached by Deuce, who looked tired and upset . "Beck, I have unfortunate news. My spies have reported three cars leaving the Sidero compound, and it is believed your friends are onboard." Beck felt his heart drop as he knew what three cars might signify. The trio had been split up, and he'd have to figure out where and who to go for.

"I can't just simply pick and choose who to go after."

"I know. I had my people follow as close as possible. Two went aboard separate planes that had layovers, at which point my people could no longer follow. One went on a plane that flew directly for Mexico...my associate informs me that it landed in the city of Puebla Mexico. From there, he lost the tail." It was a long shot, but Mexico seemed at least to be the one location he knew of.

"Which one of those was Jade? Any idea?" Deuce's frown was disheartening, if not defeating.

"I am sorry."

"Then, I guess I'll have to try Mexico." He shrugged and reached for his chin. The problem there was he had no connections there, no contacts or any way of knowing how to locate anybody. "I don't suppose you might know anyone there?"

"I don't, but my wife has some friends that live in Mexico City. Not much help if they took your friend to Puebla and stayed there, but I'd talk to Dina one way or another."

"I'll do that." He let out an exasperated sigh and sucked in a slow, but heavy breath. "I guess my next stop is Mexico. I hope Andre and Sam are doing well right about now." He was missing his best friend, but Andre still didn't seem to think he much use. Beck hoped maybe he could show Andre that he wrong.

* * *

Fairly screwed, I would say. Of course, everything and everyone they ever knew has turned out to be against them. This is certainly not their brightest day. Hopefully Beck will find them, but who knows if he'll even head the right way. It seems Cat's already thinking about ways to stir up trouble from inside, but how well could that work?


	13. Building Powerful Alliances

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 13 (Building Powerful Alliances)

Stepping foot in Mexico, Beck found himself entering a much different world than he could ever have been accustomed to. Things didn't seem normal, even for Mexico, for he found people on the streets looking over their shoulders and trembling at the moment someone so much as looked at them.

If this was the influence of the Sidero family, then he'd just stepped into a country that was fully taken over. "They charm you, and then they take over. That's what Sam's family seemed to say." He felt a lump in his throat and started down the street.

Unable to speak any lick of Spanish, Beck found himself struggling for directions. "How do you even ask someone for directions?" Whenever he waved for someone on the street, they flinched and turned away from him. When he tried to call out for help, he was ignored.

The deeper into the depths of the city he went, the more he saw criminal activities unfolding or shady people watching him as if expecting him to make a move or be their next target.

To say that he was frightened would be an understatement.

Dina Martinez's friends were located in the town's underbelly, at some bar shooting darts. When he found the place, he made his way to the bartender and asked in the only Spanish that Dina had been able to help him. "Where can I find Estela and Carla Escobar?" The bartender's brow furrowed and with a huff, he pointed to the dartboard in the back.

As Beck walked away, he thought he saw the bartender removing a weapon from under the bar. "Shit…" He let out a long exhale and started to reach for his phone, but stopped when he noticed the motion looked as though he'd be reaching for a weapon. "Right. Dina said don't do anything that might make someone think I'm a threat. Who _are_ these girls?"

The girls were twins, with shoulder length brown hair and thin figures. One girl, Carla, wore a single blue jacket that was only buttoned at the chest and revealed a bare midriff, she had blue denim shorts that barely passed her ass.

Estela, on the other hand, had a rough expression on her face and was puffing a cigarette. She wore a long velvet dress with a diamond shaped hole on the breast. They reminded Beck a bit of the Vega siblings, and for some strange reason, they appeared exactly how he could picture the girls if Trina were in Estela's place and Tori in Carla's.

"Eh…hola?" He raised his hand and Carla started to snicker. Estela rolled her eyes and stepped away from the table she was leaning against.

"We can speak English." He put a hand to his chest and let out a sigh of relief. Estela removed the cigarette from her lips and narrowed her eyes. "You're looking for us. Why?" She tilted back her head, staring down her nose with suspicion.

"Dina Martinez told me to look for you." Carla's eyes went wide and she grabbed her sister's arm. Estela hummed at him and he started to shrink back, not sure if this was a good reaction or not. Of course, Carla's smile was relieving.

"How is she?" Carla asked. "Is everything okay?"

"She's fine. It's actually about the Sidero-"

"Stop!" Estela snapped her fingers in his face and he jerked back, tensing up. Estela narrowed her eyes and looked to the right, at the other patrons. "Do not mention them out loud. Come with us."

They guided him to another part of the bar, desolate and empty, then continued through a door into a spare room. "Okay, we're out of the way of prying ears. Have a seat." Beck nodded and took a seat on some dusty looking couch. Carla sat on the other end while Estela paced in front of him.

"What do you have to do with them?"

"They captured a few friends of mine, and my girlfriend." He clenched his fists and looked down. "I'm trying to find them. I know they divided them up, and one of them came to Mexico…"

"Mexico is fully taken over by Manuel Sidero. The Presidente allows him to command however he wishes, and has put Mexico under a tight militaristic rule. Nobody can do a damn thing about it, if they so much as speak out against him, they're killed. Gunned down where they stand."

"Oh god." He wrapped a hand around his throat and felt a pulse of fear. What had he stepped into? World War III? "You mean the Sidero family's fully taken over Mexico?"

"And parts of Panama and Guatemala. It seems Manuel is fixing to bleed into South America as well."

It all seemed fishy, and more concerning was how these girls knew so much. Were they part of the Sidero clan? They couldn't, if trusted by Deuce and Dina. "So how do you know so much?"

"We're sort of the rebellion," Carla answered. Estela scoffed and shook her head at her.

"Nothing of the sort." The woman folded her arms across her breasts and looked at the closed door. "We are in charge of the single-most best spies in Mexico. The prostitutes." His jaw dropped and he jerked his head back as Carla started to nod. "We are the ears and the eyes, nothing happens here that we don't know about; and of course we would like to eject the Sidero family from Mexico...but we haven't exactly had the best of luck."

"Why not?"

Estela gave him a dumbfounded stare and smacked her lips at him. "In case you didn't notice. The Sidero clan has one of the tightest holds on Mexico. Mexico itself is a stronghold." He felt his heart sinking, horrified at the news. If Mexico was this bad, then he'd just stepped into hell; and he was nowhere ready for _hell._

"The only country they have a stronger hold on is Spain; but that won't matter once they get a hold on the United States. You think Los Angeles and California are the only places they have influence in? You're sorely mistaken."

Sweat formed at his brow and on the back of his neck. "I'm only one man." He pulled at his collar, feeling a bit overheated and already exhausted.

"One man going after one of the strongest mafia families in the world. You may as well be taking on the entire Italian Mafia."

Carla raised a finger. "The good news is they're not as bad as the Italian Mafia, and many Italian families are against them that I know of. If you were to ally…"

"That's a good idea, sis." Beck nodded in agreement. The only problem was, with his running out on Sam and Andre, the Puckett family might not be so eager to help. Estela lowered her arms and walked a bit to the left. "You are only one person. The only way you're going to be able to take out such a massive crime family like the Sidero family is to form alliances."

"I really just want my friends back." He chuckled nervously and shut his eyes. "I want to be left alone." He felt a slight sensation brushing against him and turned just in time to see Carla pulling the red card from his back pocket. His face flushed as the girl studied the front and back of the card.

"It wouldn't be that simple," Carla explained, "Especially if you've been carded by them. You'll never be done with them. Even without the red card, infiltrating them and rescuing your friends means you would have an enemy for life. The only way to be rid of them is to get rid of them…and that is no task for one person alone."

"Okay." He ran his hand behind his neck and took a deep breath. "So Dina said you guys could help. How?"

"Like Estela was saying, we run the prostitution in Mexico." Carla looked at her sister with a subtle smile, then back at Beck. "So you have all Mexico's prostitutes at your service, and in a different way than the 'service' the girls offer."

He chuckled at the remark. "I'm afraid I'm spoken for, anyway. Spies, you guys are spies…how can spies help me?"

"By getting information you can't get elsewhere. There's nothing that loosens up Manuel Sidero's lips than a beautiful woman in his bed." Beck raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to the right.

"I thought he was married."

"Manuel has been divorced for five years," Estela remarked, "His wife, Mary Sidero, runs things in a different part of Mexico. She's bringing up their son, Anthony, to be just as vicious and virulent as some of his cousins."

"I see."

"But we'll want to deal with Manuel first and foremost, and getting to him is not easy."

"Why not?"

"He commands Mexico's army." His blood ran cold and his jaw fell open. He was certain to have heard this from the girls already, but it was really the first time he was truly hearing it. "Like Carla said, our girls are truly the best way you're going to even get close to him." She smirked at him and seemed to challenge him with her stare. "So if you wish to form an alliance, now would be a good time. Otherwise, good luck getting anywhere near Manuel."

"I-I understand." He looked at the door, feeling his heart beginning to pound. "I've already seen what influence he seems to hold just in this town alone. I have no idea which of my three friends has been sent here, and I have no way of finding out."

"I'm sure Ramona will have no trouble extracting that information." Carla stood from the couch and picked at his card with the tip of her glossy fingernail. "He routinely gets services from her. She's one of the best, able to sweet talk information from him in a way that leaves him suspecting nothing."

"Sounds like a dangerous game, really. I mean, to think that he could spill information out to your girls like that…he'd almost certainly murder them."

"It is dangerous, and there is always that risk. Soliciting information is not the only way our girls get info. Some are able to go through items, some of our girls can slip things into client homes and out. Ramona is one of the best. She once removed a corrupt official from office by slipping drugs into their dresser and informing the police that she found their drugs. It was a truly wonderful moment."

He was impressed, but nervous as well. If he couldn't get information through these girls, then where would that leave him? Still, an alliance was better than nothing.

In the back of his mind he thought of Jade and how ironic it seemed that one of the first strong alliances against the Sidero family that he could find was a ring of prostitutes. Spies and manipulators, yes, but prostitutes nonetheless.

"If you can promise help, then I could definitely use it." The Sidero family was like a pestilence that had to be removed. They were strong, powerful, so they were likely to have enemies. Finding those enemies was going to be crucial in bringing them down. "The Sidero family thinks they're so strong that they're untouchable; but can they be so untouchable when they have enemies all over the place?"

Estela's lips curled into a wide grin and she started to nod. "Exactly. Finding those enemies will be the way to bring them down. Don't just look here, either. The Sidero family has connections all over; and where there are connections and allies…" She motioned her hand to Carla, who closed her eyes and stretched her arms upwards.

"There are enemies as well, and people who want to tear them down. From the common street vendor to the most powerful and influential politicians."

He cracked a smile and his eyes lit up. "You mean not every politician has their hand in some rich organization's ass?" The girls started to laugh.

"Oh politicians are the scum of the earth, no matter what gender or race or ethnicity. Even so, there's still a rare few that are honorable; so finding those honorable politicians will be as helpful as finding the enemies of the Sidero family."

"But they take out whoever stands against them."

"That's why you offer them protection, you offer them help. But in order to have that protection and help; you need the help of powerful enemies that can protect them."

Beck started counting off on his fingers. "The Sidero family is in bed with the Irish mob, the Russian mob, most of the Spanish mafia families…but the Italian and Cuban families despise them."

"Correct." Estela crossed her arms. "You already have a powerful Cuban mafia family that is allied with you."

"Right, the Martinez families. Also, if I can approach the Puckett and Benson families, they would be able to help…"

"Don't forget that even in the same circles there are enemies. Mafia families can and do compete with one another. Don't be fooled into thinking that you can't approach a Spanish mafia family because the Sidero is one, they might have enemies in those others; but it could be harder to find."

"Right."

"Don't underestimate alliances from other avenues as well. Ally with the military, ally with non-corrupt police officers."

"Like Tori's dad…" Estela blinked twice.

"I don't know who that is, but be wary of trusting everyone that you come across and everybody that is in your life. Even your closest confidante can dig a knife into your back if they were never genuine."

"Yeah, I'll keep that in mind."

Back in Los Angeles, Andre and Sam were hard at work at trying to build up their own alliances. Even Freddie had come into town, per Sam's request, and like her was deciding just how involved he wanted to be.

"I don't know where Beck is," Andre said as calmly as possible despite the boiling of his own blood. He wanted to storm Tori's house and demand to know what she'd done to his best friend. "I don't know what he's up to, but maybe it's for the best that he's not here."

"Still don't trust that Tori kid?" Freddie inquired. Andre shook his head, still unable to put a finger on the reason. Most of it just had to do with her behavior and the fact that her card was so different from everybody else's.

Freddie stroked his chin and looked to the right. "So why not put pressure on her, try to figure out what's going on there. Being careful is important though, because if there _is_ something going on, you don't want to put yourself in danger."

"Right. I just can't believe…" Andre folded his hands over his head and slowly dragged them down his face. "I don't want to think that they could be involved. Tori, Trina, her parents. If they are, how involved are they? How deep is it? Then, if they _truly_ are, then the police can't help at all."

Sam pat Andre's back and he turned his gaze to her. "Have you tried Detective Malone yet? Can he be trusted at all? I know you said he's got ties with the Vegas, but has he even been around anymore?"

"No, he's not come around in a while actually. I suppose we could talk to him, see where he stands on this whole thing with the Sidero family; but I want to be careful. Especially because if we go about trusting the wrong people, it could kill us."

"Yeah…"

"That's why I said it might be better that Beck's taken a sabbatical, because if Tori _is_ corrupt, then she can't influence or manipulate him."

"Exactly, and I'm going to try to talk to Colonel Shay. Carly's father." Sam rubbed her hands together and sighed. "He is in command of his own troops, and is loyal enough that he could be helped. As for other allies, our families have been aiding, but they've been wanting to avoid bloodshed for a little while."

"Bloodshed might be inevitable at this point."

"Right, but I think they're waiting for something." She folded her arms over her stomach and leaned forward. "Probably waiting for the Sidero to draw first blood. In the mafia world, you don't just attack another family without direct insult being done to you. At least, that's what our families have always held."

"There's something else." Andre ran his hand over and behind his head. His chest expanded and he leaned back. "Mr. Sikowitz. His name's been mentioned by more than a few kids in my gang and in others. A lot of gang members hold him in high regard, he seems to be influential. Maybe…maybe we could approach him and see what he knows?"

"He was your teacher?"

"Yeah."

"Well, we _could_ approach him." Freddie picked up the drinking cup in front of him and started to sip. "Or, we could watch and see if he's trustworthy first." This was the wiser choice, but Andre was impatient. It was hard for him to want to simply wait things out. "You don't want to walk into something you may not be prepared for."

"This is true. Also, I want to talk to Nona Valentine. I put my grandma in the center she's in, and Grandma was telling me there's something very sneaky about the woman. I don't know if she knows what happened to Cat, but if she has any connections whatsoever that could be a benefit-"

"So you want to talk to some old woman in a retirement center because your grandmother suspects something is off about her?"

"Yeah. I mean, sure it could be completely unrelated but, at the very least she deserves to know what's going on with her granddaughter."

"Okay." Freddie bowed his head and started chuckling. "So you can do that, and I'll focus on feeling out your teacher, this Detective, and your friend Tori. Meanwhile, Sam…" Freddie smiled at the blonde and Sam raised up her eyebrows. "You want to get in touch with Carly and her dad?"

"Yes." Sam nodded. "I want to get Colonel Shay to keep an eye out. Especially if the Sidero family knows about our involvement in rising against them…I don't want them to try and target Carly because of her association to us. So even if Colonel Shay can't offer help, he can at least take Carly and get away."

"What about Spencer? He's recently gone back to law, working as a lawyer now while making and selling artwork on the side. He's becoming a strong lawyer too, we'll want him on our side."

"Definitely. Not sure either he or Mr. Shay will want to be considered associating with Italian Mafia families, so we might want to keep our family statuses on the down low."

"Right, definitely let's do that."

Andre smiled at the pair. The more he thought about it, the more he was filling with confidence. He hadn't made an attempt to contact Beck solely because he didn't know if Tori might have done something to trace his phone; but he was going to find a way to reach out to Beck and figure out what he was up to.

His hope was that Beck was building up alliances as well, and they could reconnect to bring all of their allies together and wipe the Sidero family from the face of the earth once and for all.

* * *

So Beck's found some good allies, and even Andre's working on it. I wonder who else will come out of the woodwork? What are your thoughts on everything here? Think they'll make it, or do you think the Sidero will crush them?


	14. Rise up and Fight

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 14 (Rise Up and Fight)

It was difficult to breathe in the bar, and patrons likely wondered why he was so routinely visiting with Estela and Carla; but it was the only option. The private room was the best place to meet, so they met there. "Any news?" He hoped their girls were finding information, because he'd been waiting for a couple days already. "Patience is hard, especially because I feel like time is of the essence."

"It is," Estela remarked. She placed a cigarette between her lips and lit it up slowly. Beck watched the dancing flame with a sigh, waiting for her to finish. She cradled the lighter in her hand as she lowered it and turned her gaze to his. "Unfortunately Rome wasn't built in a day, and you can't save Mexico or your friends in a day."

"But every day is one more day they might be killed. If they're even still alive…"

"They are, or at least the boy brought to Mexico is."

He gasped and practically shot out of his seat. "Robbie! Robbie's here? He's alive?" His eyes grew large and Estela smiled at him. She turned to Carla, who had been reading a book as though expecting them to do all the talking.

"I sent Ramona in to one of Manuel's lieutenants. He confided in her that they had been holding Robert Shapiro in one of the hideouts on the outskirts of Mexico City. He's trapped in some underground compound with only a hole above him to receive any light." His heart sank, he couldn't fathom the horror Robbie must be feeling right now all alone and terrified. "According to Ramona, they're keeping him immobilized by a life-sized container of dirt."

"What?"

"Imagine a box full of sand. Apparently he's been placed in this box, and has sand all the way up to his neck." His heart began to pound and a sense of urgency shot through him.

This was one of his best friends, and here he sat in some smoky bar while his best friend remained trapped in some freakish buried alive type horror show? He was beside himself with grief, filling with rage and disbelief.

Beck raised his trembling hand to his face, covering his mouth and chin. "We have to get him out of there. We have to get him out."

"Honestly, the location could be Manuel's hunting cabin, but I'm not certain; and getting close would be difficult. Either he, or his guards, would kill anyone coming within a ten foot mile."

He had to wonder if it would be possible to sneak in. Granted he still was finicky when it came to potentially having to kill someone, so he couldn't be sure how he'd hold up under pressure if spotted by one of Manuel's people. "So, if I want to get Robbie out, what do I do?"

Estela tapped her cigarette on the ashtray. Her eyes narrowed and she slowly shook her head. "Honestly. Our girls are not fighters, and Manuel's guards are made up of both his mafia associates and military soldiers. You'd almost have to stage a coup, get a distraction going and rush in there. The only problem is, you don't have the manpower."

His skin turned pale and he stammered. "There's got to be _something_."

"My girls can rally people pretty well. If they could get something started, you might be able to storm the place with some fighters." Even before then they'd have to scope out the compound. Hell, it was beginning to sound like they were going to have to do some sort of resistance movement alone just to unseat Manuel.

Estela smirked at him and a coldness flickered for a moment in her eyes. "Didn't think it was going to be as easy as Cuba, did you? You got lucky there, kid, pure luck." He frowned and lowered his head a bit.

"Yeah, I figure." It did seem pretty much like chance how he ran into both Beth and her wife, so there was no doubt in his mind he got extremely lucky there. Not to mention, had Deuce not come along, Beth might very well have shot him down for his hesitation. "But this is important. I can't deter for a single moment, I have to save my friends and bring these guys down."

It was bigger than him, bigger than his friends; and he could see that while roaming the streets of Mexico. The Sidero family wanted to take over the world, and if they succeeded, everyone would be paying tribute to the head of the Sidero family for all time. "We have to crush them. They want to become the biggest mafia family, they want to hold influence in every nation and are already trying to bleed into national leaders…we have to put a stop to them. Somehow."

"And we will." Estela rose up from the table and snuffed out her cigarette in the ashtray. Beck raised his head up and furrowed his brow as she started for the door. Confused, he looked to Carla, who blinked at him and stood up. He followed quietly behind, watching as Estela marched to the bar.

It was one of the bar's busier days, evidently; and all the customers there made him feel a bit uneasy and nervous. Those nerves flared up the moment Estela climbed onto the bar, much to the annoyance of the burly bartender standing behind her.

In a thick and heavy Mexican accent, Estela commanded attention. "Listen to me!" A hush fell over the bar and Beck started to slip behind Carla as every eye in the room drifted towards Estela. "For far too long, our esteemed general has pushed us underneath his thumb." Estela crossed her arms and looked over the patrons. "Each and every one of you I have seen, I have heard your stories and I know how your families can hardly see the light of day without living in constant fear when they leave the house."

The patrons started to clamor with agreement. Estela sucked in a heavy breath of air and began to pace the bar, kicking over an empty glass that shattered on the ground behind the bar. The bartender grumbled and reached for a broom. "I propose we sit by no longer." With a large sweeping movement, she grabbed a beer glass off the bartop and raised it up. "Raise your glasses with me, a sign on this day that we will rise up and take no more abuse from that of Manuel Sidero."

Just then, the bar doors opened and two soldiers entered the establishment. The bartender narrowed his eyes at them and they paused as every patron shot them a heavy glare. "Manuel's soldiers are not welcome in this place," The bartender stated.

"We know," barked one soldier, "That is why we are here. To order you to close down the bar, and we will do that the easy way or the hard way."

Estela swung her arm out, pointing to the soldiers. "Do not let them control you. Stand up and fight." The patrons cheered again and many drew weapons, causing the guards to freeze up on the spot. Beck, still not understanding much of what was being said, was in awe of the action.

The gunfire broke out before the guards had much time to react. Beck covered up his ears and watched as the guards flailed and collapsed on the ground. Estela clenched her fist and pulled her hand back. "Yes. Fight back, from this day on. Gather your families, gather your friends, gather your neighbors and push Manuel Sidero from the bowels of Mexico! Let your voices shake the home of El Presidente!"

"Holy shit," Beck whispered aloud. The patrons began rushing from the bar and Estela stepped down with her head high and full of confidence. "What just happened?"

"A revolution," Carla answered, "Mexico is waking up."

"Funny." He rolled his eyes and sighed. If this were a movie, if his life were a story, it would seem all too appropriate that Mexico would have a rebellion happen. "Ever notice in almost every movie or story, Mexico just happens to be going through some rebellion?"

Carla laughed. "I know what you mean." Now came actually feeding the revolt, otherwise the minute Manuel fought back, the rebels could potentially cower away. "It's going to take some effort and work, but we can do it."

In Los Angeles, Andre marched with Jesse beside him and the members of Beck's gang joining a few of the other gangs. "Let's do this." Before them was one of the reported strongholds of the Los Angeles branch. It was a mansion belonging to one of the Sidero clan's associates. "Let's send them a message and find out who exactly is leading this shit."

At the door he saw two people standing, one man and one woman. They were watching with raised eyebrows and widening eyes. "What is this?" Andre raised his hand, fingers outstretched.

The gang members waited with their hands near their weapons. The two guards flinched and started to turn. "Son of a bitch, run!" Andre clenched his fist and shut his eyes as gunfire ripped out all around him. Wood splintered off the mansion and windows began breaking, the guards screamed as their body was riddled with bullets.

"A message for the Sidero family." Andre raised his voice above the gunfire as much as he could. "We're coming for them, and we're coming with a vengeance. Los Angeles will be free, California will not be touched and the United States will remain clean! Even if it takes the criminal underworld to tear you limb from limb."

Just then, he saw a face in the upper story window that made him freeze and caused his blood to turn cold. His grandmother, no longer looking as crazed as she often did. Her hair was up in a high bun, her back was straight and her hands folded over each other and the top of a cane. Her eyes were sharp and glaring down at him and her face twisted into a sneer.

"Grandmother?" He staggered back. "Hold! Cease fire!" The gang members were still pelting the house with bullets. His heart dropped into his stomach and he grabbed Jesse's arm. "My grandma is in there, get them to stop." Jesse flinched and shot into the air.

"Stop shooting, damn it!"

The gang members ceased fire and Andre's grandmother smirked coldly. He ran to where the guards lay crumpled on the ground, blood flowing down the stone steps. "Grandmother? Why aren't you in the nursing home? What are you doing up here?"

He could take the possible betrayal of the Vega family, but he never once fathomed that his grandmother might be involved. "Andre. How are you, sweetie?" His grandmother leaned out the window and looked down. "Why are you shooting up my house, dear?" Several mafia members filed out of the house and began to surround the gang members.

"I don't understand. This is a Sidero compound."

"It is." She swept her fingers through her hair and began to groom it. "I am not a direct member of their family, I am a Lieutenant of theirs." He paled considerably, cursing under his breath and denying it in his mind. "My darling, I was a mistress of Jorge Sidero."

He trembled and watched her hands slide along the windowsill. "No…" His knees began to buckle and his hands tightly gripped his stomach. "No, you're lying."

"This time, no I am afraid not. Everything else in your life, I'm afraid was a lie darling. Including my 'mental instability'. See, I met your grandfather during one of my performances for the community theatre." His heart stopped and he felt all eyes upon him.

"Wait-"

"Oh yes. You have Sidero blood flowing in your veins."

"No!" He started to back up, screaming at the top of his lungs. "No, that can't be."

"Your father and brothers? They didn't perish in an accident or anything else back in New Orleans. No, your mother wanted to get away from me, away from her legacy. So she uprooted her family to New Orleans, and your father? Oh he was an ardent supporter of my dear daughter…so I had them killed." He clutched his chest and began to wheeze, though every breath was a struggle. "You survived, and now here we are. You'd be wise to join me, have all the riches in the world…"

He stumbled back and shook his head. "N-No. I'll never join them. Never." He narrowed his eyes and clenched his fist. His grandmother's words tested him, tortured him; but he had to stay as strong as he could. "I'll destroy them all, one by one if I must. Don't stand in my way, Grandma. If you do…" He clenched his teeth and tears ran down his face as he tried in vain to choke them back.

Everything he'd ever done was for her, he wanted to keep her safe and was trying his hardest to take care of her; and now they stood at the precipice of something much different, something far darker. "If you stand against me, I'll have no choice but to consider you an enemy too."

"I was afraid of that." The woman raised her head, gazing with nonchalance at the guards with her. "Fire at will, and don't spare my grandson." Andre froze, horrified with how little his grandmother was concerned for him, so willing to throw him away like he was nothing.

Jesse tackled him, pushing him to the ground just as gunfire erupted from all sides. He let out a shout as bodies and blood piled on top of them, a massacre of his own people. Death, ordered by the one person he never expected.

"I never thought you'd have the same amount of attitude as your mother, Andre. Sorry it had to be this way, but I can't afford to let anyone attack the family that took such good care of me. Goodbye, grandson."

* * *

Yeah it always does seem like Mexico is always going through a rebellion in movies and stories, so weird. Welp, here's this chapter. A lot to take in, so go ahead


	15. Cat Scratch Fever

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 14 (Cat Scratch Fever)

Jade sat in the corner of the cell, listless still and exhausted from all the stress. She could feel the baby inside of her, and with every passing second she grew more fearful that she might lose it.

The leader of the Sidero family was ordering that she be treated well and fed well so that no harm would come to the unborn child; but Jade wondered just how long that might possibly last. Even with that order, Cat seemed to be her greatest protector in this time, and the redhead was restless as ever.

"What are you doing now?" Jade looked at the other corner where Cat was working on some material she'd found from inside the cell and a utensil she'd stolen from a guard that had entered the cell to give them food. She hadn't been paying that much attention to what Cat was working on or what she was doing, so she wasn't exactly sure what it was the girl had.

"Formulating a plan." Cat held up what looked like a paper knife, and Jade perked up, her eyebrows rising. The redhead grinned darkly and turned her narrow eyes to the desk outside the cell. A guard was asleep at the desk, his head bowed and hands folded over his lap.

Cat rushed to the door and instantly began rapping on it with her hands. "What are you doing?" Jade hissed and extended her arm. "Don't draw attention, Cat." The girl scoffed, her eyes rolling.

"I want to draw attention." She continued the racket until the guard woke up and pushed himself up with a groan. The guard met Cat's eyes, locking in a dead stare. "I'm not feeling well."

"Too bad," The guard responded with a grumble. "If you're looking for sympathy, you won't find it."

"Of course not." She rubbed her stomach and pressed her shoulder against the bars beside the door. "You're just an asshole who couldn't give a shit about anything. Probably, you have a microdick." The guard jerked his head back and Jade's jaw dropped.

"Excuse me?" The guard marched towards the cell, growling loudly. "I'm sorry, what did you just say to me?"

"You heard me, _baby_." Jade wanted to start pleading with Cat to stop, but she was too afraid to utter a single word. She could only watch as Cat pulled her head away just before the Guard could reach into the cell through the bars to grab her head. When he couldn't get her, he yanked open the cell door.

"I'll teach you some respect, you little bitch!"

Cat crouched low, her right arm behind her back and molded prison knife clutched firmly in her hand. She smirked and slowly licked her lips. "Come." The guard expanded his arms and breathed in deep. Before he could react, Cat pounced and tackled him to the ground. His eyes opened wide as she raised the knife into the air. "Too slow, puny."

"Wait!" She brought the blade down and Jade turned away, raising her hand in front of her face as blood gushed from the guard's neck. Tears welled up in her eyes as the scent of blood filled the air.

Cat searched the guard's body for something, pulling out every item she could from his pockets. "Got it." She raised her head up and frowned at Jade. "Jade, stay here." Jade started to rise, gasping out as her friend closed and locked the cell door.

"Why? What are you about to do?"

"Something insane, but I have to…I'll see you later."

"Wait!" She extended her arm as Cat took off for the door way. "No, Cat!" Her fingers closed slowly and a sob shook through her chest. "Don't go."

A trail of blood was left behind a bloodied Cat as she wielded a knife and gun stolen from her first victim. She wasn't stopping until she got to the main office where she was sure to find the person in charge.

She didn't want to subject Jade to the risk of death or anything else that could potentially happen, and she was certain they weren't going to get very far with this action. She had something far different in mind and was well aware she'd be leaving Jade alone for a while; but she would be back.

When she entered the office, she found Sikowitz standing by a window. "Still here?" She breathed while twirling the knife in one hand. Sikowitz turned his head over his shoulder and glared back at her with narrow eyes.

"I came back and I am fixing to return to Russia to deal with my relatives there." He leaned his head back and sucked in a heavy breath. "To what do I owe your ill-fated escape attempt?"

She released a raspy breath and moved the gun hand upwards. "Traitors die the bloodiest deaths." She cocked back the hammer and scowled as the teacher turned around to face her. He peered down his nose at her and locked his hands behind his back.

"You always seemed so sweet and innocent. What changed?" She cocked her head to the right.

"You don't know me that well."

"I see."

A sharp pain gripped her back and she lurched forward, gasping aloud as her body tumbled to the ground. Someone stood behind her, holding a knife fresh with her blood. The assailant grabbed her hair and yanked her head back violently. "What do you want me to do with her?" Sikowitz chuckled evilly as fire burned in Cat's eyes.

"Throw her on the plane. She's to go to Russia and be imprisoned by my family." He turned his back to her and Cat started to howl as the man tore her from the room.

Before the thugs could check her items, she sent out a text message to her mother, letting her know her whereabouts. If anyone would be able to track the enemy, it would be her mother. After all, her intellect was one of the reasons that her family got away with so much.

While on the plane, Cat looked around for anything she could use to untie herself with. She was in the cargo hold, so there was quite a number of objects strewn about. She eventually found a metal piece of a nearby ladder twisted and bent, with the end sharp enough to cut through her binds.

At some point one guard came down to check on her, so she crouched behind a crate and waited for the man to pass. He stopped a few paces after her to scratch his head and look around. "Where could she have gone?" Cat gripped the rope that once tied her and made her way towards the man.

Her eyes widened and she rushed forward as he started to turn, her hands twisted and wrapped the rope around the man's neck. He reeled back, gagging and clutching the cord. "Right behind you, asshole." She breathed in deep and her eyes shot down to a small glint beneath the flap of his jacket. "Oh look, a knife."

She grabbed the handle of the blade, flicked it away from its holder and jabbed it hard beneath the man's ribs. She hated to have to resort to killing; but it was the only way she could put a dent in the enemy.

Of course, her mother would be proud; it didn't say much. She was the one that didn't want to join her family's life of bank robberies and high profile crime. Now here she was, using some of the very tactics her family had once tried in vain to teach her.

Cat fought through the plane, downing every person she came across until she hit the cockpit. To her anger, she realized that Mr. Sikowitz was not on this plane. "Okay," she hissed, "I'm going to get this guy to land the plane and tell me where Sikowitz and his esteemed nephew is. Then the little prince of the Sidero-Sikowitz union will fall."

She felt almost maniacal for a moment, and a strange part of her wondered if, in another universe, the roles of good and evil might have actually been reversed. "No bodyguards for Sikowitz, I'm slicing through them all."

She pushed through the door and ran up behind the pilot, slowly pressing the knife against his jugular. "If you want to live, you'll land the plane normally and tell me where exactly Mr. Sikowitz and his little Russian mob family are headquartered."

The pilot sucked in a heavy breath of air and began to reach for a button. Before he could do anything, Cat slicked the knife through the air and cut off the man's thumb. He let out a painful scream and grabbed his wrist. "That was for my friend, Robbie."

"The family is too large," hissed the pilot, "You'll never get through them. You'd have to get through their bodyguards and associates first."

"I don't care if I have to gut Trina Sidero to get to Sikowitz and Jason, I'll tear the whole world apart to destroy those fucking traitors." To think she once thought Jason had been attractive, to think she once believed Sikowitz to be the wisest and most sage of all teachers.

Bamboozled. That was the word for it. No amount of rage in the world could quench the desire in her heart to bring them down. "I'm going to stop the worst fucking union to happen to the world before it even gets a chance. The Sidero won't rise, they'll fall."

"Never!"

"Land the fucking plane." She dug the blade into the pilot's shoulder, causing him to howl out in pain.

With tears in his eyes he brought the plane down. Cat exited as quick as she could and was pleased to see her mother's small private jet, once stolen from some base long ago, waiting for her. The woman had long blonde hair which covered a portion of her face, and a red satin dress.

"Hello Catherine." Her mother, Margaret, smirked, "I knew you'd come to your senses eventually." Margaret spread her arms outwards. "And it only took you getting kidnapped by a huge mafia family."

With a scoff, she rolled her eyes and slid her gaze up and down her mother's outfit. "What are you wearing?" Margaret sighed and crossed her arms along her chest.

"Sorry dear, I was on a hot date. I had to go straight to my personal hanger." This wasn't exactly appropriate attire, but her mother was resourceful enough and Cat hardly cared.

"Wonderful. I have the location of the Russian's compound." Cat cracked her knuckles and started to growl. "I say we go and let all hell break loose." A new fire burned in her mother's eyes, followed by a venom that Cat had never seen before.

"Good. I want to give them a taste of vengeance for putting my daughter through that nightmare."

"Once we're done here, we have to go back for Jade. I left her because I didn't want her to see me like this…and I know as long as she's pregnant, Trina won't hurt her."

"Dear, the guards might." They started moving towards a nearby car, and upon getting closer, Cat could see a body slumped over. She looked to her mother, who smiled gently and shrugged. "That was the driver waiting to receive you."

"Wow. I am amazed." She rolled her eyes again and sighed. "So, what's the latest job you guys are doing now? Robbing the bank of England, perhaps?" Margaret laughed and shook her head.

"No, no we're taking jobs as assassins for hire. We've even got a name. Want to hear it?"

"Not really." She got into the driver's side of the car. "I don't even want to join, I just want to get this done." The woman nodded, curling her brow and puffing her lip a bit.

It wasn't as though they were estranged. Cat would always care for her mother and for her family, but there came a point where her family had to start realizing her stance and how much she wasn't about to move from it. "Let's go take out Sikowitz. Once and for all."

* * *

So Cat's on a mission, to end the half of the union slated to bring the Sidero clan to the top. Her mission is vengeance and her goal is within sights at the Russian compound. Wonder if she can do it. I wonder if Beck will be able to save Robbie, or if Andre can topple the rapidly rising regime in LA despite the greatest hurdle of all. Meanwhile Jade sits and waits, but for how much longer can she and Robbie hold out?


	16. The Next Fight

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N: You gotta think, the pieces are in place for a major overhaul. All the powerful pillars of the Sidero clan can crumble if not careful as we've got Andre in California, we got Beck in one of the stronger holds in Mexico, and now Cat's in Russia seeking vengeance for her teacher's betrayal. Then the one person who really isn't a damsel, Jade, is stuck in Ireland somewhere for a time. Is someone keeping her safe though? Why?

* * *

Chapter 15 (The Next Fight)

Katrina stood before her dresser and mirror, her bare arms extended towards the surface and her hands closing firmly atop it. She breathed in slow and deep while watching the figure behind her. "The gnat in LA has been dealt with," the man said. Her lips formed a faint smile and she closed her eyes as she felt his hands slide along her waist and lock around her belly.

"Pity Jason, I could have used him." Trina had known about Andre's grandmother for some time, but the woman kept insisting that-despite her prior desires-involve him. It wasn't until the last year that she started to change her mind. "Pity she waited for things to get this far, to where it was clearly too late to believe he'd betray his friends."

"To be honest, you had no way of knowing that the group would rise against you." Jason sat his chin onto her shoulder and she opened her eyes partially. "Sure you were angry at them, but wasn't it your sister that decided to do this?"

"A bit. I would have wanted to simply twist their heads apart from their shoulder. She wanted to use Jade, Cat and Robbie to dangle in front of Beck and Andre…make a little trap." The game Tori was playing was her idea, but Trina went along with it because it gave her sister something to do. Unfortunately, this game of hers was getting too far out of hand, and now Beck and Andre were getting far too close.

She tilted back her head, groaning softly as Jason's stubble tickled her bare shoulders and along her neck. "Should've just gutted them on the spot." She had little faith in her sister's ability to take over California, or even to connect the associates in other states in a nation-wide sweep. "Maybe I ought to reinstate my father and give the territory back to him. Tori doesn't seem to be working out."

"Give her a little time."

"She had one job." She narrowed her eyes and looked over her shoulder. "Keep an eye on Beck and Andre, keep them close and to be the one that lures them here. That's it. Then her little game could be over and she could go right on back to focusing on strengthening our hold in the States." Her fingers slid back towards the edge of the dresser and a light glinted on the mirror. "She lost Beck, and now Cat's gone and escaped. I may have to bring Jade straight here to Madrid."

"I thought you hated Jade most of all." Jason pulled his hands from her body and she turned around. Her eyes met his and her hands moved to the edge of the dresser. "Or, are you protecting her because she's pregnant?" He raised a hand under her chin and she turned her eyes to the side. Her chest expanded with a deep breath and the corners of her lips sank.

"Yes." She knew the pain of loss, having been pregnant herself at one point. "No woman should lose the baby she's carrying, and for that, I won't let any harm come to her." She bowed her head and let out a light scoff. "Tori should remember who is in charge, because she would prefer that I let Jade die once she's given birth…but no, she should not lose her child and that child won't go without a mother."

"Kind words coming from such a criminal mastermind, huh?" He chuckled softly and leaned over, kissing the top of her head. "That's why I love you, you still have _some_ rationale in you." Trina rolled her eyes and pushed him away playfully.

"Don't remind me." She breezed past him, her gaze narrow and heartbeat racing. "Beck will still die. I'll give my sister what she wants." It was Tori that wanted Beck and Andre to walk into the trap, to have them die before Jade's very eyes. It was Tori that wanted to give Jade some comfort until her baby was born, and then let her die as well. "I can't believe I have to keep an eye on my sister, she abuses power and goes too far…taking out those gangs? She's smarter than this."

"We don't all make the right choices, and she's been given her first taste of power." He shrugged. It made since, Tori wouldn't know how far was too far when she'd not been taught before. "You left her in LA with your father, so he ought to be able to teach her."

"He ought to, yes, but I'm a bit concerned he's getting too wrapped up with the police. It's great we have a hold on them, but I can't keep an eye on my sister from Madrid. He knows he has to keep an eye on her, Mom as well."

"They're doing enough trying to keep an eye on Detective Malone right now, I think." She stopped and raised her hand to her chin, stroking it slightly. Jason was right, Gary was a thorn in their side just as much. If only because he was too proud to do anything that was 'dishonorable'. "What are you going to do about him?"

"We keep trying, but if he continues to refuse us…he'll have to go."

In LA, Andre sat in a car across the street from Gary Malone's house. His heart was filled with rage from the most recent betrayal, and his body still bore the scars. Sam and Freddie sat with him, watching the detective's home. "I don't know if there's something going on with him and the Vegas, but we have to find out."

"You're still insistent that there's something going on with Tori?" Sam stroked her chin and looked over at Freddie, who nodded his head at her. "Has anything further been discovered yet, Freddie? Anything to point to her potential involvement with the Sidero clan at all?"

"Aside from her mother appearing to have possible mafia ties, I don't know about Sidero themselves." Andre's heart wrenched at the thought that Tori could be Sidero. At most, he suspected her of associating with them, perhaps spying for them or even being a tool; but to think she could be an actual Sidero family member was too much.

With a grunt, he moved his eyes towards his hands clenching around the steering wheel. "After my grandma, nothing would surprise me." Sam and Freddie raised their eyebrows at him and he looked back to Gary's home. "I think you guys need to start watching David and Holly, see what's going on with them. I know Mrs. Vega is still out of town and all, but she's got to be traceable…"

"My family's already tracked her," Freddie replied, "She's in Ireland. In a compound for some Irish Mafia family." Andre clenched his eyes shut and groaned. "As for Mr. Vega, we haven't found anything yet, he's too focused on the police force." He glanced to the rearview to see Freddie eyeing the upper portion of his back. "You know, that gash looks like it could be getting infected."

It was where one of the bullets grazed him. After the onslaught, he and Jesse managed to pull themselves away from the pile of bodies surrounding them. Both had been struck a few times, but fortunately none were serious. They decided best to press on and get to their allies for meetings.

"I don't care about a little graze." Andre pushed open the car door and stepped out, Freddie and Sam soon followed. "I know Tori mentioned Detective Malone a few times, he's connected to the Vegas and I want to know how. I want to know if any of the cops in this town are to be trusted."

"He probably is," Sam remarked. Andre looked over his shoulder as she shrugged. "My family was checking on him like you asked. They said he seems honorable, but he keeps getting phone calls that, if answered, turn into shouting matches, or he just outright ignores them. Also, they've noticed him being tailed a few times, so if he isn't on the side influenced by the Sidero, he could be useful."

"Then he could need help."

They made their way to the house and knocked on the door, half expecting the man to not answer. The door eventually opened, slowly, and rather than seeing Gary's head poke out they saw the nozzle of a gun pushing out. "Who is it?" Asked a deep voice.

Andre raised his hands and spoke loudly to be understood. "Andre Harris. Sam Puckett and Freddie Benson."

"Friends of the Vega kids? What do you want?" The gun started to sink out of view, but the hesitation was evidence of Gary's lack of trust. This was a good sign, or at least it suggested to him that Gary may be on their side.

"We only want to talk Detective. See if you could help us find our friends. They were taken by a mafia family, and the police aren't helping." He wanted to put it all out there, to see how Gary might respond.

The gun shifted away and the door opened further, revealing Gary dressed as though fixing to go to work. He had a long face and narrow, tired eyes. "Come in." Entering the home, Andre first noticed a picture on a bookshelf nearby. It was of Gary and David in their younger days, wearing ball caps and wielding baseball bats.

"You and Mr. Vega were friends once?" He paused, holding his breath. His friends behind him slowly glanced at each other, both waiting as Gary groaned.

"Used to be, yes. Until I realized he couldn't be trusted, and now he runs the entire police force. _I_ helped him get there, stupidly." Andre furrowed his brow and looked down.

"You were betrayed. I know how that feels, betrayed by the one person that you never expect."

"We were best friends since junior high, but he never talked about his family." Gary sat on his couch, but held his gun fast in his hand. His eyes were ever watchful of the trio. "Take your seats. I'm not sure how I can help you. David's the police chief."

"You're an honorable cop," Sam quipped. Gary's eyes darted to her and his lips flashed at a smile. "I've done my research on you. You've actually charged people with attempts to bribe you. You're on par with David in fighting the gangs of the city and cleaning the town up, maybe you can clean the police force up."

"You know they're dirty, then?"

"It was a suspicion," Andre replied. He smirked, having just been given his answer as to whether the police in the town were to be trusted. "They won't do a thing to help find our friends."

Gary started to frown, studying Andre for several seconds. "Consider that if your friends were kidnapped by mafia families, they may be long gone." His tone was low, almost defeated. "Do you know _which_ mafia family? That would certainly help. I could look for them, I know the officers working under me are good officers."

"We do know the mafia family." Andre tapped his fingertips together and turned his head, looking at the old dusty photo. "First, I'm curious what happened between you and Mr. Vega." Gary chuckled sorely, the muscles in his body tensing.

"It was after college, I got him a job at the police station after talking him up to my superiors. I taught him the ropes, helped him rise through the ranks until he outranked me. That's what friends do, they lift each other up." Andre nodded, watching as Gary moved his gun to the end table and raised his hand to the side of his face.

"Then one day I come to find several corrupt officers, corrupt politicians in LA. I saw a judge with a notebook, his name written in with several…this book showed payrolls, money being sent out to various influential people in the city. I showed it to David, and he 'lost' the book."

Andre tensed his brow and leaned back slowly, breathing in deep. "So what happened?" Gary lowered his hand and crossed his arms.

"I didn't think much at the time. Yeah, I was upset, but I had written those names down. It was a matter of continuing to investigate them." The man paused, his gaze becoming heavier. "Someone from a mafia family came asking me to give up the hunt." Gary planted his hand on his chest and scoffed. "Trying to bribe _me!_ " The man dropped his hand and growled out. "Of course I turned him away, called up David to let him know what happened."

Sensing where this was going, Andre was afraid to let him go on. "So what went on after that?"

"We went to the bar to have a few drinks. It was then David asked me if I would give up on searching the individuals in the book, because it was a hopeless cause without the book." Gary's eyes drifted to the side and his lips pressed tightly against each other. "I told him no, and then you know what he said to me?"

"What, sir?"

"He asked if I would be willing to send my best friend to jail…" Gary started to shake, the demeanor in the room seemed to grow darker by the second. "He confessed to being a member of some mafia family, that he had been from birth and that I should join him. He was so high in rank, he told me his word outrode mine, and that he already had control of the police force. Going after him, going after his family would be a hopeless cause."

"Detective Malone, I am so sorry."

"Yeah well, I turned him down." Gary stood up and walked towards the kitchen. "I told him I wanted nothing to do with him or his schemes, and that I would find a way to bring him down eventually."

"That cannot have gone over well," Freddie mumbled. Gary opened his refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of beer.

"No. He told me simply that if I were to become a threat, he might have to put me down. So I know where he stands." Gary popped the bottle cap and his hand tensed around the neck. Andre pat his knee for a moment, exhaling softly.

"What about you? Would you be willing to put him down if you had to?" Gary stared down at the beer, swirling it slowly with his hand. A solemn look came over him and he closed his eyes.

"Who betrayed you, Mr. Harris? I don't recall if you said."

"My grandmother. She's a part of the mafia family we're hunting, and she was so ready to shoot me down where I stood." He strained to speak of it, still in shock from the event. "All those years taking care of her, being there for her. It meant nothing."

"Maybe it didn't mean anything to her, maybe it did; but this was my best friend. We grew up together, had a life, did almost everything together." Gary raised his head, locking eyes with Andre. "Would you be willing to take out your grandmother if it came to that?"

"If it came to it." He nodded, feeling strangely uncertain and certain of his answer at the same time. "If there was no other way, if it meant saving lives and she'd gone too far…I might prefer it be me over anyone else."

Gary hummed for a moment before raising his drink to his lips. A silence fell over them, strangely loud. The man guzzled down half his bottle before pulling it away. "I'm an officer of the law, I uphold the law as it should be. But if I could not save my best friend, then yeah…I would rather be the one to save LA from the monster than to let anyone else put him down."

"You feel responsible."

"Every time I told my superiors to take a chance on him, every time I embellished him to them; because he didn't have the education I did nor the skills. He didn't have the experience, he was never ready but I wanted them to give him the chances I knew they wouldn't have. I put him where he is today, so he is my responsibility."

"Yeah. So he's a member of a mafia family. He and his wife both. He's now the sitting police chief; and you're enemy number one."

"Guess so."

"Well, so am I." Andre rose up and extended his hand. "I think we can help each other." He wasn't going to ask Gary to get his hands dirty, he already knew well that Gary likely wouldn't. At the same time, the man was at the end of his rope. "Only, we never got the name of the mafia family you said he was a part of."

"I'm not sure _exactly_ what family it is, but I know they have a strong hold on LA."

"God forbid it could be the Sidero." He saw Gary pale and knew the man had heard of them. "We're chasing the Sidero family right now, they have my friends. My Grandmother is an associate of theirs; and I'm beginning to suspect another of my friends to be tied to them…but you confirmed she's definitely a part of a mafia family."

"Victoria." Gary exhaled and slowly nodded before shaking Andre's hand. "You've got an ally."

"I know you probably don't want to work with criminals." The smile on Gary's face instantly fell and Andre turned to Sam and Freddie. "My friends here aren't criminal, but…their families might be another story."

"How so?"

"We're both part of mafia families," Sam remarked with an exasperated sigh. Freddie rolled his eyes and Gary raised a hand over his face. "But the Pucketts and Bensons are on your side, Gary. They're against the Sidero clan and their allies, and if the Vegas are allied with them, they're planning on helping to clean up."

Gary lowered his hand with a growl and motioned at them. "I'll take their help on one condition: Once we get this particular mafia clan out of LA, I do not want to see their influence bleeding in." Sam and Freddie looked at each other, both likely contemplating the success of trying to convince their families to stay out of LA.

"Er we can try to get them to stay out of LA." Freddie turned back to Gary and shrugged. "I don't know how successful we'll be, but they don't seem to have a vested interest in this city. They're mostly based in Italy right now. The only reason that Sam and I are even here is because our mothers wanted out and moved to the States…"

Gary swept his finger under his lip and furrowed his brow, gazing at the pair intensely. "Okay," he said finally, "I'll help you guys remove the Sidero family. If I start to see your families trying to take over the city once they're out, however, you'll have a powerful enemy after you."

"Understood, sir." Freddie shook Gary's hand, followed by Sam. "We'll offer you and your offers protection as well, because we're sure that Mr. Vega's mafia family might be gunning for you."

"Thank you."

Sam motioned her head to the door and threw her thumb over her finger. "First step, getting you out of your home. You should probably stay away from here for a while. I'll have my family find you a shelter somewhere that you can operate from."

"What's next?" Andre turned to Gary, half-expectant on him to come up with a plan. Gary looked at the photograph on the bookshelf and let out a forlorn sigh.

"David might still have that book of names. We need to get it, we need to root out every corrupt politician, officer, lawyer…that could take some time, but we can do it."

"Okay, so you have your people work on that. We'll work on other things." Andre took a deep breath, his mind drifting back to his grandmother. "I think I need to have a chat with my dear grandmother, then perhaps Tori."

Yes he wanted to find his friends, but there was a fight far greater that he didn't initially think he'd be involved in: the fight for California. He knew the Sidero clan had the strongest hold, and they weren't going to be able to save their friends without eradicating that hold. In his gut, he was sure now more than ever that the Vegas were a part of that family-if not the family themselves. He was going to find evidence of it one way or another, and Tori was likely the best place to start.

* * *

So we know now Trina's motivation for keeping Jade alive, an interesting one. Seems not every officer in LA can be corrupt, but lets hope Gary and Andre can make a dent. Could be the Sidero has some powerful enemies they hadn't thought of. What havoc will be had in the three places soon to become a warzone? Also, what of Jade, who seems at this point to be safe. Will the friends be able to get her out? Trina might be able to keep her safe where she is, but is she truly safe if she gets out? More to come.


	17. Black Star Mercs: Retribution

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 17 (Black Star Merc: Retribution)

Cat stood with her family outside the gates of the Sikowitz-Tyler family compound, her breathing was heavy and her face darkened with a lust for revenge. "I can't believe my family's turned to being mercenaries," she muttered under her breath. Even worse, she couldn't believe she was finally joining them-if only for revenge and a desire for self-preservation.

"We can always turn back," replied her father, who was standing right beside her. His head was held high and his expression smug. "You are the one who called us out here." John Valentine clapped once and his grin spread wider. "Can I say, I couldn't be prouder that my daughter has finally decided to join the family business?"

"Don't get a big head, papa, I don't plan on joining you or your new little _Black Star_ assassin brigade." She reached for the gun at her holster and peered down at it; the weapon was a handgun that had a long dagger taped to it as though it were a modern day musket. "Just stick to plan."

Her mother was waiting in a helicopter with her brothers, Chuck and Chester inside. They were to repel down and storm the compound from the top while Margaret would create a distraction using her missiles and the chaingun on the helicopter. Once her diversion begun, she would sneak in with her father and take out as many as she could until hopefully finding Sikowitz himself inside.

What she deemed as being fantastic was if Trina's fiancé were inside. "I would just love to sink my knife into Jason's neck, though." She always credited her skills, as well as her family's, as being closest to the _Assassin's Creed_ genre. Or at least, the game came extremely close to their style of fighting and stealth, though they didn't take great leaps and bounds from high up and land in haystacks. Still, she assumed _somebody_ in her family had to have given that creator some ideas. There were a number of showy relatives in her family, so it wouldn't surprise her if one of them wanted to be forever immortalized in a video game series. Only, the Assassins were supposed to be the good guys in the video games; and she her family was the opposite.

"Okay Cat, your mother and brothers are in the chopper. Your uncle will be coming in from the other side. Your cousin found an entrance from underground." She jerked her head back and gave her father a confused, dumfounded look. Her father grinned and shrugged. "You know how Roger is with explosives, there was a connection from the sewers."

"Great. No wonder this family was always so good at robbing banks." She rolled her eyes and raised her gun in the air. Her mother's helicopter was high in the air, but she could hear through the radio connected that her mother could see her. "Let's do this. The Russians won't know what hit them. Black Star Mercs go." She fired off the gunshot and immediately the helicopter started lowering.

Her brothers began to descend from a rope ladder, landing on the roofs of the compound somewhere. Cat grinned when she heard distant shouts, signs that her brothers had already begun eliminating someone.

"Okay Papa, you take the left and I'll take the right." John nodded at her and they hid in the bushes outside the gates of the compound while Margaret began to open fire on the sides. Windows began to shatter and several guards started to scream while others opened fire on the chopper. "You find any cars, rig them with bombs or slice their tires."

"Right, I'm on it." John rushed in once the guards in the front took off running towards the chopper. Cat entered and crouched low behind some bushes. She sliced her tongue across her lips and narrowed her eyes as she studied several guards running by.

Eventually she took aim, steadying her weapon upon a guard holding by the front door. Her mother was moving the chopper around, guiding a few away. In the corner of her eyes, she saw her father rigging a few cars to blow on the chance anyone tried to escape.

"I need to get in there." She looked back to the guard and watched as he turned his head and widened his eyes upon seeing her. "Goodbye." Without hesitation, she pulled the trigger and sent a bullet into the man's neck. He grabbed his throat and sank to the ground.

She threw herself forward, racing with fire on her heels for the front door. From outside she could see an image running for the doors, so she jumped behind a nearby pillar. "What is going on out here?" It was a woman, older and with curly brown hair. She clutched her chest and narrowed her eyes at the chopper in the sky. "Who is shooting up my home?"

"Do you really want to know?" Cat stepped up behind the woman, her hand tensing around the handle of the gun. The woman gasped out as she placed a firm hand on the woman's shoulder. "What is your name?"

"Pamela."

"Oh I see, Jason's mother?"

"Who are you?"

"The last person you're ever going to speak to." Without mercy, Cat plunged the blade deep into the woman's back. Pamela let out a violent scream as Cat sliced the blade up with all her strength until she passed the shoulder blades. "Time to take out the rest of your little family branch."

Cat made her way into the house and ducked into the shadows to watch the chaos ensuing from inside. There was no doubt people were aware of intruders, especially since her brothers would have entered from the roofs while her cousin from the cellars.

"This is the end for you. I can't forgive, I won't forgive." She knew she'd crossed a line already, and Erwin Sikowitz's sister was now dead. Sikowitz himself was somewhere inside, and the objective was to locate him. "Time to die, my friend."

Gunfire erupted from upstairs, screams erupted from other rooms. Her father was making his way to the side door to enter from there. Explosions were going off from all ends, creating a distortion of sounds. "Keep it going, Mama." Her mother needed to be heading out soon, because it was only a matter of time before the Russians were able to shoot her down from the skies. If they were smart, they had to have some kind of anti-air weapons.

As though on cue, she heard her mother's voice on the radio. "They're shooting missiles back at me! I have to retreat!" Cat closed her eyes and sighed before pushing forward.

Just then, a man came running by. He had a thick moustache and long, wavy hair. His dark eyes fixated on her and he began to slow in pace. "Who do we have here?" He asked. Cat tilted her head and opened her lips into a toothy grin.

"Do you really want to know?" She'd seen the photos, she knew this person well. Jason's father, Hector. She aimed her pistol at him and started to growl. "The name is Cat. I just took out your wife, I'm about to take out your brother-in-law, and then your son. Think you can stop me? No one can stop the Black Star Mercenaries."

"What?" He crossed his arms and started chuckling. "Getting cocky already? You're telling me you've not failed at least once before?"

"Maybe in another life." She felt the rage coursing through her veins, boiling with greater intensity than before. "Even if you escape this compound, you won't be much longer for the world."

"Really?" The man pulled out his hands, and with them a pair of pistols. Cat's eyes grew large and she ducked to the right as he opened fire. Thinking fast, she rolled forward and sprung for the shadows. "Hold still kitten, do not prolong the inevitable."

"Fuck you." She sprang up, opening fire with the pistol. The man jerked back and sucked in the air through his teeth as he clasped a hand over his left shoulder. Cat smirked and fired another shot, striking the man in the left side.

Hector moved to the right, opening fire at her once again. She sprang to the left, hissing as a burning sensation dug into her left leg. When she looked down, she saw the singed fabric of her pants and blood coming from a small graze. "Close, very close." She flung her head up and twisted her arm back, pulling the trigger twice.

The man let out a pained grunt and she turned her head in time to see him collapse to his knees. Standing behind him was her father, holding a long sword in his hands. "How on earth did you miss him just now, Catherine dear?" She blinked and watched her father slam a foot on the man's back, pushing him forward and off the sword. "God this thing is wonderful."

"Where the hell did you find that?"

"It was above the side entrance door." John wiped the blood off the blade with a rag and grinned. "Want it? Imagine plunging it into the heart of your traitorous teacher, huh?" She could visualize the image, or at least that of Sikowitz doubled over the blade as if performing sepukku.

"You know what? Yeah, go ahead and give it here."

John chuckled and tossed her the blade. She reached up, grabbing the handle and swinging her arm with the blade's momentum. "Damn, how are things holding up? Any word?" John glanced over his shoulder, nodding as the scent of blood and smoke filled the air.

"Well, Roger's succeeded in planting bombs throughout the tunnels underneath, your uncle and his wife have planted explosives throughout the building while your brothers have taken out several guards en route to your teacher's room."

"And Mom? Was she able to get the chopper landed somewhere?"

"Yes, I believe so. Apparently it was on fire by the time she landed, so…probably not usable now." Cat rolled her eyes and marched past her father, not caring whether the chopper were usable. She wanted one thing, and one thing only. "So after we finish storming this place, what's next?"

"We fly back to Ireland, take out Holly and her entire fucking family."

"Hard to believe." John laughed airily. "A mafia family taken out by a family of petty criminals." Cat stopped, her eyes flicked to the sides and her hands began to tense. "You know, Catherine, you really are talented. I mean, we taught you a lot, but you clearly haven't lost any of your skill…you really could be something. A force to be reckoned with."

"I don't want a life of crime, Papa. I'm only using what I learned for good."

"Good? You're fighting right now for revenge. You've left your best friend with her captors for a lust of revenge."

Cat swirled around, her voice rising above her strained lungs. Smoke surrounded them and the air drew a thick sweat from her body. "I left her behind because I didn't want her to see me like this." She raised the sword up, pointing it outwards. "I didn't want her to see this. I knew what we were capable of, I didn't want to scare Jade anymore. Already her boyfriend and his friend were part of a gang, and she got her boyfriend away from that, what's she going to think about her best friend amid all this?"

"You could be a hero to her, she'd look up to you. Besides, she'll be alright once this is all over."

"Maybe, but I didn't want her to know me like this." Cat lowered her weapon, sneering at her father. "No one knows what my family's like. You're all made up, imaginary people to them." John gasped, his eyes opening wide. "I haven't told them the truth about my family at all, they don't even know what Nona's really like. I don't want to be seen as the snake, because I'm _not_ a snake. I'm not you people. I am not a criminal."

"Not us?" John stepped forward spreading his hands out. "Look at all that is around you right now, Cat. This is _you_. This is who you are."

"Shut up!" She started to raise her sword up again, but stopped when her brother's voice came over the radio.

"We've found Mr. Sikowitz. We've got him at bay."

Cat blinked twice, her eyes still locked in a deadly heat with her father's. "We will finish this conversation later, Papa." She lowered the sword, watching her dad's exhale. "Jade would hate me. She would be so afraid of me for all of this. There's no way…no way she can ever know…" Cat turned around and started walking, pulling her hair into a tight ponytail.

Eventually she removed a small mask from under her shirt and started to pull it on to cover her nose and mouth from the smoke filling the building.

"Also." Her eyes grew to narrow slits and she turned her head sharply, glaring over her shoulder as her ponytail swung over her other shoulder. "Once we're done here, I never want to see any of you again."

They made their way through the warzone within the compound, staying hidden in areas where fighting was continuing. Reinforcements had come, so her family was doing all they could to stay alive. Some of her relatives that were waiting in backup had even decided to show up, late to the party of course.

Eventually they reached the room where Sikowitz was. Her brothers stood behind the man, who was kneeling on the floor and had his wrists bound behind his back. Sikowitz looked up and chuckled sorely as Cat's fiery glare burned down upon him. "Hello Mr. Sikowitz." Hate fell from her lips with every breath she took. "It's my turn to give you a lesson. You thought yourself untouchable, you thought wrong."

"Ah Miss Valentine, always the sweetest one. I'm amazed it would be you standing before me today." She stepped forward as her teacher started to smirk. "You've got a taste of bloodlust, I see."

"You betrayed me, betrayed my friends. Jade is still in denial, and god knows where Robbie is."

"I don't control that, and I cannot help if Miss West is in denial. It suits her I suppose, she was always seeing the world however she wanted to. Living in a fantasy world where she thought she had all the power in the world. Power she's stripped of, as she always had been. Whether she was willing to admit."

Cat swung her blade with an angry growl, striking Sikowitz on the side of the head with the hilt. "That's my best friend you're talking about, asshole." Sikowitz lay toppled on his side, his chest heaving as his eyes peered through the stringy brown hair now mixed with blood.

"Best friend? How much does she know about you? Does she know how quick to violence you are? Has she seen the real you?"

Cat hissed through clenched teeth. "None of your business."

"Will she know this side of you?"

"Never. She'll never know my family."

"Once you've had a taste of this, you'll never stop."

"Shut. Up." With another howl, she swung the sword. Sikowitz screamed as the blade cut deep into his left shoulder. "We've taken out your sister, your brother-in-law." She hoisted up the blade, grunting as she watched blood drip and ooze off the metal. Sikowitz turned his head down, sweat dripped from his face and nose as he watched the blood gush from his shoulder and pool on the floor. "Your nephew is next."

"Oh." Sikowitz smirked coldly as his skin started to pale. "Your prince is in another castle my dear Valentine. And so you see, once he learns of this massacre of yours, you and your darling family of petty thieves will face the most excruciating torture you could possibly imagine."

The teacher started to shake and laugh, his eyes growing wild. Cat calmly stood upright and looked to her brothers. "Stand him up, please." Chuck and Chester studied her close, as though uncertain of her order. "Stand him up." She flicked her sword back, holding the hilt forward.

The men hoisted Sikowitz to his feet and his legs started to buckle. He let out a grunt and glared at her. "Is this what you choose to become? A murderer just like me? A monster?" Cat flung herself forward with a scream, bashing the hilt into his jaw and chin. His neck jerked back and blood spewed from his lips and face.

"I am nothing like you." Sikowitz turned his head back, breathing heavily and mumbling as though trying to speak. His usual brown beard was stained red and his blood was painted with rivers of crimson.

He raised his gaze to he and like a crack of lightning, Cat thrust her sword forward. His eyes shot open wide as the sword cut clean through his abdomen and out his back. "Sorry it had to be this way."

She removed a sweat rag from her pocket and slicked it along the blade to clean it. With a huff, she swung the back of the blade onto her shoulder and turned away, leaving the room without a further word.

As she walked, she contemplated what all of this meant. She knew the level she sunk to, and she hated it. There was no thrill in killing Mr. Sikowitz, and it brought her to the verge of tears knowing what she'd done; but there was no other choice. She removed a monster from the world, but in doing so did it create another monster altogether?

There was no time to suffer the loss of betrayal, no time to question all she ever learned from this man she once claimed a mentor. The Russian compound was destroyed in a fog of distortion that only her family could create; and now they had to take out Holly's compound in hopes of rescuing Jade.

The only problem with doing that was revealing this demonic nature to her best friend, something she was no doubt uncomfortable with.

As they approached the getaway car, a safe distance from the compound, she turned stared at the building where several of the mafia associates remained fighting for their lives to escape.

Within seconds it lit up with a round of explosions and screams. Her father approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You okay, kid?" She frowned as the heat from the flames kissed her face. Her hand tensed around the hilt of the sword and her eyes glistened with fresh tears.

"Let's go…" She exhaled and quietly entered the car. As her family drove away, she watched the blazing inferno depart into the distance, the smoldering palace eventually collapsing onto itself.

"Maybe this is who I am," she thought while closing her eyes. "Maybe it is my destiny. Inevitable." Why killing Sikowitz didn't feel as satisfying as she thought it would, she wasn't sure. Perhaps it was knowing the important things that lay ahead. Still, a part of her was satisfied, if only at having removed a monster from corrupting and influencing anybody else. No one would be harmed by him again.

Nothing would be the same, that was true; but even more than that she could picture Jade screaming for her to stay as far away from her as possible. Perhaps, if this was a sign of anything, it was the pending loss of friendship. Truly this day was a bittersweet victory, and nothing more.

* * *

So my regulars can see I had a little fun with this chapter, XD. So an intense chapter nonetheless, Cat's taken a huge chunk of Jason's family, and of course the union of this russian mafia family with the Sidero clan may be on shaky ground. Seems Cat's set her eyes on another traitor though, Holly. Hopefully she won't get too lost in the revenge and bloodlust. What are your thoughts?


	18. Scared Little Child

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 18 (The Scared Child)

Alone in her cell, Jade found herself clouded by desperation and fear. She wanted to think Cat would come back for her, or that Beck was somehow making his way to her; but her mind was fogged with doubt. She could not imagine the horrors that Robbie would be going through, and felt that certainly her friends had already met their end.

If only to make matters worse, the cramps and pains of her pregnancy only seemed to grow worse, and she did all she could to try and think of ways to keep the baby inside of her alive.

"Why does shit always happen to me?" She held her stomach and looked from left to right. She craved the comfort of her best friend, longed for the arms of her boyfriend. "Who am I kidding? Beck and I broke up, he's probably moved on by now." She could no longer cry, and her eyes felt raw to the touch-even blinking seemed painful. "I want out of here."

No one knew just how claustrophobic she truly was, but things had always been that way. She thought she'd seen hell, but she was wrong. The violence scared her, it always did. Noises startled her, the thumps in the night that could be hear own demons trying to swallow her whole.

Scared and alone, the last she'd ever felt this way was as a child. With her father always at work, she was at the mercy of her older sister and her mother, hiding in her closet as the world seemed to collapse.

Just as it was now.

Jade reached out with wispy fingers, grasping the bars of her cell and pressing her forehead against them. She closed her eyes and tried to weep, but only a slight tremor shook through her body. "Escape. I have to escape. I have to get out. I-I have to get out."

She could hear the claps of thunder in her mind as she visualized the heavy rain splashing on the thin window of a small child's bedroom. Clutching her favorite stuffed toy, the young child peered through the slits of her closet doors praying for her father to come home from work. The war between Tiffany and their mother seemed worse than ever before, with the sixteen-year old and older woman exchanging violent blows.

"Let me out," Jade uttered weakly at passing guards. "Please." Her chapped lips trembled as the guards ignored her. "Please. I-I think something's wrong." The guard looked at her with a blank gaze.

"Unless you're about to go into labor, you're not getting out of that cage."

Her hands slipped and she felt her body sink to the ground. A phone rang through the air and the guard began chattering. In her mind she recalled her mother kicking open the bedroom door and running to the closet. _"Jade! You need to get out of here, honey."_ Bloodied arms tore open her closet door and lifted Jade from the closet.

She dropped her toy and reached out in vain to pick it up, screaming as her mother's shallowed breaths filled her ears. The child threw her head up as Tiffany roared from a different room. Suddenly the bedroom window was open and the child found herself drenched in rain. _"Run, Jade. Run. That's the only way, honey…"_

Lights flashed all around the house, it was Tiffany's friends. Jade never understood until she was much older just who these people were. When their parents were away, Tiffany had her 'friends' over, they did a variety of drugs and alcohol; and even submitted the child to injections just to see what effect they would have.

Rehab didn't work, and her sister seemed to grow more and more volatile, until even their mother grew abusive.

The cell door flew open and Jade gasped out as the guard reached for her. For a moment, she saw the blood on her hands and arms. Remembering the chill in her mother's voice, fear and desperation flashed in her eyes. "Come on," the guard growled, "Miss Sidero needs you transported to Madrid."

"Leave me alone!" Jade bit down on the man's hand with as much force as she could muster. The guard gripped his wrist and pulled away with a violent howl. Using this time, Jade forced herself to stand and stumbled forward in a frenzied attempt to run. For a moment, all the pain in the world didn't matter.

Just as the child ran in the rain, screaming with every clap of thunder. The child cupped her hands over her ears to drown out the explosions and popping sounds from behind and she thought only of her mother's urgent order.

 _"Keep running. Don't look back. Don't stop."_

Somehow she managed to find the strength to keep moving, with every ounce of adrenaline in her allowing for her to push oncoming and unsuspecting guards to the right. There was only one destination she had in mind, but she didn't know where the exit was.

Jade pulled several chairs down and tried to move debris into the paths of the guards as she ran. Her lungs were burning and her stringy hair flew behind her in a wild rage. _"Keep running. Run to safety."_

As a child, she knew the direction to her father's job as it was not far from her elementary school. Jade would find solace in the building's shadow during her lunch recesses.

So the child ran, her clothes soaked with rainwater, she ran until she found her school; and from there she could locate her father's office. Still believing her sister was behind her, still hoping her mother had been running with her, she plowed through the doors of her father's office building and collapsed on the floor in front of the receptionist.

The child looked up, expecting her mom to scoop her up. She cried out for her mother when she didn't see her and curled into a ball as several people surrounded her. Every time she thought she heard her mother's voice telling her to keep running, she thought her mom was saying it from right behind.

"How the hell can she keep running at this point?" A guard shouted. "Goddamn if I could just get a shot on her."

"Are you mad? We harm her at all, we're dead."

Jade looked over her shoulder, whimpering as she saw her mother's ghost following her from behind, urging her not to give up. The guards were still hot on her tail, breathing heavily and screaming out in frustration.

"Leave me alone." Jade grabbed a swivel chair from nearby and spun it towards the nearest guard, watching as it collided with him and made him topple over. "Let me go, please."

"Come on," urged another guard. Jade backed into a corner, narrowing her eyes as a new feeling grew in her. It was the urge to survive, she needed to defend herself and fight. Just as when she was a child, she learned to fight off her sister's friends when they would come close to her. "We're not going to hurt you."

The guard positioned himself in crouching positions and held his hands out forward like a football player. "I know how to fight. Don't think I don't."

"You won't chance it with that unborn kid in ya."

"Try me." She looked to the desk next to her and grabbed a paperweight from it. It was a heavy tiger statuette. The guard let out a scoff and charged for her. Thinking instinctively, Jade dodged to the side and swung the object, bashing the guard's head in.

Her heart stopped when she saw him collapse and blood oozing from his head. "Oh my god, I'm sorry!" Seeing the sight of blood, she felt the pain of the blow and remembered once more the small little girl, blood oozing down her arm from a needle broken in her skin.

Her sister's angry cry at her friend for letting the needle break in her sibling's arm.

Jade clenched her eyes and shook her head. She grit her teeth and ran forward, dropping the statuette behind her.

It was not unusual to see her sister's friends start fights, it was not unusual for Tiffany to take her places where gang wars might break out. At only seven years old, Jade knew more than any other child her age what a gunshot was like; and she knew more than any what a motionless, bloodied body meant.

And when that child returned home that evening with her father, she saw it once more before her father could pull her away. Her mother lay prone on the child's bedroom floor, blood pooling around her body like a rose unfurling and wounds made by both bullets and knives.

They ran, she and her father, to another home. She never understood why her sister vanished after that, but Tiffany seemed to have faded into the wind.

Jade hoisted herself the wall of a cubicle and screamed as she landed on the other side. Throwing her head over her shoulder to glance at her chasers, she cleared her throat and made a beeline for the door.

Several years later the child saw her sister again, a ranking member of the gang she was in. It seemed she was highly praised for the murder of her own mother, but Tiffany was without money and destitute.

The sister needed help from their father, but he refused her. The child watched again as violence began to unfold, as her sister threatened their father and demanded he give her money or he'd meet the same end as their mother had.

Once again the child found herself hiding in a closet, surrounded by four walls and cradling herself as the sounds of violence erupted. The walls vibrated with heavy thudding sounds and Jade prayed her father would be okay. She prayed the police would come and save them.

A prayer left unanswered.

Jade felt her body give way as she came to another doorway, and standing in her way was a familiar, stern-faced woman. Her heart sank as she froze in her tracks. "Mrs. Vega?" She exhaled as the woman sneered and took a step towards her.

Her mind flashed back to her sister, the last time she ever saw the woman, glaring from the bedroom doorway and making her approach. This time, her father wouldn't be there to stop Holly, not the way he had before.

She half expected Holly to fall, as Tiffany did so many years ago, collapsing to her knees as her half-bloodied father stood behind her with a hammer in his hand. Finally safe from Tiffany, her father ran to her and scooped her into his arms.

This time, it was Jade who sank to her knees, unable to run anymore. She felt the same denial as she had with her sister, not wanting to believe anyone could be so evil. "It's time to go, little West." Holly grabbed her by the shirt collar and yanked her to her feet. "What my daughter sees in you, I don't understand. Of course, I could care less about the brat you're carrying around right now."

"No." She breathed out a sob and fresh tears finally bled from her eyes. "No please, not you."

"Honestly I'm amazed." Holly chuckled sinisterly. "The exit was in the other direction, my dear. You've run straight to my office." Holly twisted her arms behind her back and she arched forward, grunting in pain. "What is this?" She felt the woman's hand brush along her arms, rolling her sleeves up and finally the back of her shirt. She felt a cold chill run down her spine and she looked over her shoulder.

"Stop!"

"What are all these scars? They look like needle marks. Old, though, I thought for a moment the guards might be doing what they shouldn't be." She grit her teeth and rage flickered in her eyes.

"It's not your business. Leave me alone. They're from another time."

"You should be grateful. My daughter's had a miscarriage before, she doesn't want you to lose your baby." Holly rolled her eyes and pushed her forward. Jade gasped aloud, her eyes widening with realization. It hurt to think Trina or Tori could be part of the Sidero family, but with their mother standing right there, she could no longer deny it. "You can continue to fight, but it won't be in your best interest. Right now, my daughter wants you comfortable."

"I-Is she going to steal my baby?"

"I don't believe that's part of her plan for you…though, it wouldn't be a bad idea." Jade bowed her head and let her body go limp to allow Holly to guide her to whatever vehicle would transport them away. "You'll be leaving with my guards. I have some unfinished work here at the compound. So, I trust you not to try anything funny, got it?"

"Why are you doing this? Why?"

"Just the way the world works my child. There are good people, people who try their best, people who are bad and then there are people who are evil and cruel." Holly tilted her head and pointed to the scars. "Perhaps I'm not the first cruelly evil person you've encountered?"

She said nothing but the tears moving down her face gave it all away. When she was a kid, she never understood what was wrong with her sister. With age she began to understand, she understood that the gang as well as the drugs destroyed Tiffany. Her life was over long before it actually ended.

Still, her childhood scarred her enough, it was the reason she wanted Beck out of that gang. She knew gangs were no good, and there was no way she wanted to be with someone involved in that life. "I'll be compliant," she whispered.

"Oh good." Holly rolled her eyes and scoffed. "I'm comforted knowing you won't cause problems for my people. Behave, and maybe my daughter will be even easier on you than she's already being…"

* * *

Well it wasn't so much flashbacks as Jade having flashbacks, we're given a little more of an in-depth look to what's been going on in her world and why she is the way she is. She's suffered a world of pain. Let's hope she can be free and find peace soon. What are your thoughts on everything here? Other than, Tiffany was one bitch from hell.


	19. For the Cause

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 19 (For the Cause)

Beck sat on a bed, feeling as uncomfortable as he had felt in his entire life. The room he was in was small, with only a vanity dresser in front of him that bore a huge mirror to reflect him in his denim jacket and dusty looking jeans reclining atop a velvet red comforter. His hands were folded neatly over his abdomen and his eyes were fixated on Carla, who sat at the dresser brushing her hair.

"I don't like this," he said quietly, "Meeting here all the time. It gives me a bad feeling, and I know Jade would freak the hell out." Nothing ever happened when he came here, it was just preferred for the girls that he meet them at their brothel and they would discuss business there.

Carla let out a sigh as she pulled her round hairbrush from the ends of her hair. The mirror reflected the annoyance in her gaze as her lips turned to as grimace. "We realize it's not preferential for you, but it is the best and only way to keep suspicion at a low." Beck crossed his arms with a grunt and turned his eyes side3ways. "Better to have Sidero believe you're soliciting the services of whores in a potentially grief-stricken state rather than taking part in an uprising of sorts."

"I know…it's just, it's taking so long." He hadn't been able to do anything at all, and it was frustrating him more than he could explain. As much as he wanted to charge into the Sidero compound like a mad bull, the girls were right to keep him at bay. Patience was key, but at the same time, patience was difficult to come by when he was so uncertain of the fates of those he cared most for.

He watched Carla set down her brush and pick up the makeup brush. She began sweeping it underneath her eyes, focusing sternly on reflection in the mirror. "I don't know how much longer I can wait." Inaction felt worse than no action, and to him, every second he couldn't do something was so excruciating that he'd almost be willing to submit himself to the worst torture imaginable instead. "This is hell, just waiting for something to happen, waiting for someone to come forth."

"Your patience may pay off soon. One of our chief spies believes she's gained the location of Mr. Shapiro." Beck jolted upright, his heart instantly pounding out multiple beats. "The trick is going to be getting in there and getting him out without confrontation."

He didn't care what it took, so long as he could save his friend. "Whatever. However we do it, let's just get it done." Carla lowered her makeup brush with a heavy sigh and turned around slowly, looking him in the eyes.

"Easier said than done, Mr. Oliver. Wherever he's found, he's bound to be guarded. We know not the state he'll be in, or if he'll even be alive; but I can promise that if we are able to pull him out, we will do so." He leaned forward, his hands sliding down to the bed and his eyes narrowing.

"Nothing will stop me. I'll go in with or without help."

"We know, and that is the danger. You cannot afford to be impulsive. What good are you to Mr. Shapiro dead?" Beck frowned and slowly sank back. "What use are you to Miss West if you're captured?" He looked away, biting his lips hold back the tears fighting to be released. As much as he hated to admit, she was right. He needed to save his friends, but if his impulsivity got in the way, that may never happen. "I know it is difficult, but you have to be patient. You have to trust us."

"It's hard to trust when things are so uncertain."

"I know, but there is hope." Carla smiled gently, and the calmness in her eyes was almost relieving. "But our sources have suggested that your friends are alive still, so keep that in the back of your mind." He smiled back, giving her a subtle nod.

"I will."

Beck slowly closed his eyes, only wanting to rest them for a moment, though the lure of the mattress was great. He opened them, unaware of the time that passed by, and was startled to see the room empty. He jerked upright and looked around, the room was lit now by the light of early morning, just before dawn.

His heart was racing and his body coated in a thick sweat. Nights were always hardest for him lately, with little sleep due to nightmares and his worries regarding Jade. It was strangest for him to get any sleep at all, much less in a Mexican brothel.

The door slid open and his eyes jumped towards it, his muscles started to tense and he began to reach for the pistol hidden under his pillow. One thing he'd learned during his stay, never expect that you are ever safe when you're the one being hunted.

Much to his relief, Carla was entering the room in full attire; though that didn't mean much. Beside her was a young girl with dark hair wrapped in a bun. "Ah Beck, good morning." Carla grinned like the Cheshire cat, her eyes moving down his relaxing form. "You are so handsome when asleep. Pity you won't take comfort with some of our girls, I'm sure they would enjoy your company." His face turned beet red and he slowly shook his head, flattered.

"You know I'm spoken for."

"Of course." Carla let out a mournful sigh and strode across the room. "Nevertheless." She took a seat at the edge of the bed and raised a hand to the young girl. "This is Catalina. One of our top spies." His eyebrows rose up and he loosened his grip on the pistol, having remembered what he was holding. "She has news."

"I know the exact location of Robbie Shapiro," Catalina remarked with a confident smile. Beck's heart skipped a beat and he stood from the bed.

"Where!" Catalina's eyes widened at the outburst, causing him to recoil a bit.

Carla raised up her hand. "Settle, Beck. We are getting there. Our girls are still jumpy."

"Sorry. I'm just…"

Catalina shook her head and walked past him like a breeze. "He is in a small town not far from here, locked up in a basement of a small home. There aren't many guards present, which benefits us."

"Not many guards?" He furrowed his brow and looked at Carla, who wasn't as surprised as he was. She closed her eyes and turned her head towards him.

"They don't expect the location of your friend to get out so easily, so while it's guarded, it's so nondescript that it needn't be heavily guarded." Her eyes opened partially. "It's a small house, again not something to be expected of Manuel. You shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth."

"Right."

Within an hour of planning they made their way to the location, where Beck was amazed to find how accurate Catalina had been. The house was astonishingly small, about the size of a large, one-bedroom apartment. It was built from stone, had two windows that sandwiched a door; and that front face was about all the room there was. There were small hedges lining the perimeter of the home, and two guards walking the hedges.

From their hiding spot across the street, Beck chortled. "That's it? I expected a mansion. I mean we can take that."

"Do not underestimate Manuel," Carla remarked, "Simply because you got lucky in Havana does not mean luck will be on your side here." Beck responded with a grim nod. He'd seen the cruelties Manuel could inflict on those against him.

Some of the soldiers were made to gun down rebellious factions on the spot, and Manuel had personally disposed of a few people. Even one of Carla's and Estela's spies had been found mangled and dumped not far from his compound, suggesting he'd discovered what her true nature was.

"Plus, we don't know what awaits us inside. The entire place could be ready with traps, so we must be careful."

"True." Beck sighed and carefully ran his hand through his hair. "There could be other reasons the place isn't as guarded as it could be." In his gut, he wondered if they had enough people for this. Estela had a small group of people ready on the other side of the home, and currently only about three others were with Carla and Catalina. Of their group, only those three were the strongest fighters. Beck could handle a gun, after the two girls managed to teach him proper handling of one, but he was still so hesitant to use it.

At Carla's signal, two of the three fighters advanced upon the guards out front. Beck watched with shock as the two snapped the necks of one, ripped the guard's knife away from his belt and chucked it into the curve of the second's neck.

With that, Carla tugged on his arm and led him to the front door, stopping short of the front step. "Just to make sure." She removed a small bottle from her purse and a packaged Q-tip, then took a quick swipe of the doorknob. Beck raised an eyebrow and watched as she dipped the object into the bottle, swirling the tip around in the fluid.

To his amazement, it began to change color. "Laced with poison." Carla promptly removed a pair of gloves from her purse, put them on and turned the knob. She pressed her back against the wall alongside the door and motioned for Beck to do the same. With a nod, he moved against the wall and waited as she opened the door.

They waited a few seconds until they were satisfied by the inaction. "I expected a tripwire of some sort," Carla admitted, "But that doesn't mean we're out of the clear. It simply means some traps aren't working well for Manuel." They entered the house and glanced about.

The inside looked like any other home would, casting even more confirmation that such a hideout could be overlooked. "Stay out of sight." They moved to a shadowy part of the front room, staring at the couch nearby. One guard was snoozing on it, and the television was turned on. Carla motioned at one of her people with two fingers, then pointed to the guard.

Within seconds, the guard's neck was slit. Beck turned his head away from the blood spurting out and breathed in deep. Elsewhere, he could hear shouts and violence. Carla pressed her lips together and sighed. "Ah Estela, always the more direct approach. Stealth takes much too long for her."

They made their way through the house, doing their best to avoid any further traps or guards. They checked multiple rooms, amazed by how large the house was on the inside as opposed to outside. Finally they came upon a room that was empty, save for a large rug in the center.

"What is this?" Beck walked forward, eyeballing the walls and stopping short of the rug. Already familiar with some of the tricks in the house, he knew better than to step on an obvious one. His eyes landed on a second door in the room and his brow furrowed. "Any idea where this door leads?"

Carla knelt beside the rug, stroking her chin gently. "I'm more curious what's beneath the rug." Beck slid his hands to his waist and peered down at the rug. Carla gripped the edge and slowly lifted it up, then finally pulled it back with a gasp. "Oh god." Beck's eyes grew large when he saw the hole that had been hidden away. He turned more towards it and could see a large glasslike fixture reflecting the lights from the house. With a squint, he could make out a head laying sideways, the dark curly hair was strikingly familiar, though much longer now.

"Robbie!" Without thinking, Beck leapt into the hole, ignoring the protest by Carla. He knew they were to signal Estela once they found Robbie, but Beck was too overcome with shock, grief, horror, and a multitude of other emotions.

Tears flooded his eyes when he saw his friend, trapped in a weird ant farm-like contraption. His gaze followed Robbie's limbs, much thinner than he remembered and tired from fighting. When he saw the stump on Robbie's main hand, cauterized with fire most likely, it broke his heart. Robbie's face was pale, and heavy bags had formed under his eyes. "I'm going to get you out of here, Rob. Hang in there, man."

He grabbed his gun, wondering if perhaps he could shatter the glass. He struck it as hard as he could with the butt of the gun, but to his surprise, it didn't break. Beck leaned in close, inspecting the glass further. "Too thick to crack?" He hissed under his breath and holstered his gun. "Damn." Shooting it wouldn't do much good either. "They had to have put him in here somehow."

It was much too dim to see, so Beck started walking around the glass, feeling it by sliding his fingertips along the surface. Eventually he felt a line, so thin that it was easy to miss. His eyebrows shot up and he traced the line up and down with two fingers until they came up to a latch.

"Well shit!" He worked the latch until he could loosen it, then placed his other palm on the glass for leverage as he pulled open the door with as much force as he could. Almost instantly the room exploded with sand and dirt. Robbie's body sank with it, though remained in place due to the hole around his head.

Thinking fast, Beck reached in and threw one arm around his friend's body and clasped his right hand around the neck hole. He began straining to pull apart the device, using all of his strength until he got it open enough to slip Robbie's head down.

"Sorry man." He pulled his friend out and almost collapsed with relief, but then a new fear dawned on him. Robbie hadn't said a word in the entire time he was there, he was barely reacting. Beck lay him on his back and inspected his friend, trembling nervously at Robbie's sleeplike form. "Robbie? Robbie, man, wake up." Fresh tears formed and exhaustion tore through him. "Robbie, please. I can't have come all this way…"

All of a sudden, his friend's face twisted a bit. Beck laughed out as the man's eyes slid open. "Beck?" Robbie's voice was raspy and weak, his gaze tired. "What are you doing here?" Beck laughed again, sliding his hand across his eyes and cheek.

"Thank god!" He pulled his friend up, practically crushing him in a tight hug. "We need to get you out of here." He paused, pulling Robbie's now long hair up. "And give you a haircut."

"I can't fight anymore. I'm done fighting."

"You don't have to fight, Robbie. I'm going to get you home." He threw Robbie's arm over his shoulder and rose up, chuckling still.

He could hear Robbie mumble, asking what was so funny, but Beck couldn't help it. He guided Robbie up the stairs and, forgetting about traps or any dangers, opened the basement door.

What he saw on the other side horrified him, Carla's people lay motionless on the ground, with blood splattered on the walls. "Oh god." His heart began to fill with panic and his eyes searched the room for any sign of life.

"Beck!" Carla's voice called him out of the room and he charged out as fast as he could, but froze when he saw her. Catalina was slumped on the ground beside her in a motionless heap, and Carla was held in the grip of a stern looking, older man. "Catalina betrayed us, Beck. Run! Estela called a retreat, I came back in…"

"What?"

Beck heard Robbie whisper Manuel's name and looked to see his friend glaring at the older man. Manuel grinned evilly and narrowed his eyes. "This one was intriguing," Manuel replied, "Loyal to a fault. She came back in to find you. I would not have advised doing so." Beck's heart stopped and he began to step back.

Carla threw back her head, struggling to free herself from Manuel's grip. "Run, Beck. I will hold him off." Beck turned his head and saw Estela in the hallway, seething with rage at Manuel. Carla's eyes turned wide and she cried out to her sister. "Estela, do not worry about me. Get them out of here. Take them to safety."

"No." Estela started to rush Manuel, ignoring him as he aimed a gun her way. "Unhand my sister!"

"Estela!" Carla rolled her body over and bit down on Manuel's shoulder. The man shouted in anguish, then turned his gun to Carla's stomach. Beck watched in horror as her body jerked with the sound of an explosion. Estela dropped to her knees, fresh tears pouring down her face.

"Carla, no…"

Carla trembled violently, staggering out of Manuel's hold. Blood dribbled down her chin and her hands folded over the wound on her stomach. "Estela, please. Get Beck and his friend out of here first." Estela nodded and rushed to Beck, who was too shaken to move on his own.

"I'm coming back for you," Estela said under her breath, "I'm coming back, Carla." Manuel started to move, but Carla had enough strength left to attack him. She flicked out a small knife and thrust it into Manuel's arm. The woman hissed painfully and sliced the blade along his bicep.

The last thing Beck heard as Estela carted him out was the sound of Carla screaming. Then, as quickly as it seemed to begin, it all fell silent. Beck collapsed on the lawn outside, with Robbie rolling onto his back. He turned his head to see Estela rising up and starting for the door.

A gunshot rang out and Estela froze just inches away, her face twisted into an expression of fear and anguish, then with a second shot, she turned to rage. "You will die, Manuel. You will die." Estela turned to Beck and growled at him. "Get up, Beck. We have to go." Beck started to quiver, shaking his head.

"But Carla-"

"Sacrificed herself for you and your friend. Let it not be in vain." Tears slid down his face and he bowed his head, groaning softly. Estela grabbed him and pulled him to his feet. "Now, before the asshole comes out and finishes you off. We will get him another day."

"But, what about you?"

"I am out of ammo, he still has bullets." Beck looked past her and into the darkened house to see Manuel shambling towards the door. His arm was coated with fresh, glistening blood, and his eyes were wild with rage. He breathed heavily with every step he took, his glare fixated solely on Beck.

Wanting to avenge Carla, Beck reached for his gun but to his grim realization, the gun was not there. "Fuck, I must have lost the gun when I jumped into the basement." All the adrenaline was fading as well, and a new throbbing sensation was starting in his legs, suggesting that he'd injured himself in the jump as well. "I don't think I broke anything, but my leg's starting to hurt." He looked at Estela. "Estela? What do we do?"

"We get you out of here." Estela picked him up and grabbed Robbie as well. Still able to walk, though limping now, Beck followed her as quick as he could to her car. Once inside, he looked back to see Manuel out of the house and taking aim.

"We'll be back for you," Beck threatened under his breath. "No one hurts my friends."

* * *

So, it looks like Beck may not be as hesitant to fight now. Carla's sacrifice may not be in vain, let's hope it isn't. She left a nice mark for Manuel, though. Robbie's safe, or at least he's alive. He may not be out of danger yet, he's got to survive now. By that I mean, he badly needs a good meal and care to help his withered form. He's alive, but rehabilitation is going to be crucial. Who knows, he may join the cause yet, we can't forget the anger he's got in him.


	20. Tricking Delilah

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N: For those that might have forgot, as I slightly did, but didn't simply because I didn't focus on his denial as no one was telling him such: Beck still has no inkling that the Vega clan are in fact the Sidero. He just picked up Robbie, so….Also, Andre doesn't know for certain either, he only suspects they're a part of a crime family. Which makes what I'm about to do all the more fun. Fun for me, less for him.

* * *

Chapter 20 (Delilah)

Andre stood before the Vega family home with a knot in his stomach and teeth grinding behind closed lips. His goal was to grab the book from David's study that Gary spoke of; but he'd never broken into someone's home before. He picked an occasion where the family would be away, due to Mr. Vega's press conference.

Armed with a duplicated key, he knew he would have to be cautious in order to avoid setting off the house alarms. The key had been stolen off Tori during one of their previous meets a couple days ago. Sam and Freddie were there, so they stayed and kept her preoccupied while Andre took off for a few minutes.

It was stunningly easy, and Andre was an opportunist. She was showing them how her key ring had broken, and how she had to buy a new ring. After setting her keys on the table, she got an urgent phone call that made her step away. It was then that he grabbed the key that he recognized from so many times before as her house key, and took off to the nearest store that he could duplicate her key from. In the meantime, Sam and Freddie kept Tori occupied when she returned, telling her he'd gone off to find a new keychain for her.

When he returned, he had a ring ready, grabbed the keys from the table and started putting them together while holding the house key hidden in the palm of his hand until sliding it on. Leaving her without any suspicions, so he hoped.

As for as the family home went, Freddie had managed to somehow hack into their home's camera system to turn off any security footage, but he was still working on the complex security system David had installed. He wasn't sure if he was going to have to turn it off or not, but for the most part, he was primarily concerned with his mission going through without failure.

"Robbie would have hacked the shit out of this already," he muttered while pushing the key into the lock. He placed his hand on the doorknob, ready to turn, but to his surprise he found the door unlocked. His eyes grew wide and he started to push, but stopped when he heard a voice.

"I'll do what I can," Tori grumbled, "Not everything's my fault. I'm doing the best that I can, Trina. Give me a break. Seriously. I can handle it." Tori's voice rose in pitch and Andre peered through the crack of the door, watching as Tori put her hand to her chest. "No! Don't you dare, I worked too hard to get where I'm at. I will do-" There was a pause and Andre held his breath. "Hang on…"

His first thought was to turn and run, but the more he thought of what he needed to do, he tensed his muscles and held his ground. Her footsteps were light, but each step sounded like a drum in his head.

Her presence was felt on the other side of the door, enabling him to remove his hand. As the door swung open he saw her seemingly glaring down on him, that glare soon turned to a chipper expression. "Andre, what a pleasant surprise. Come on in…" Skeptical, and a bit afraid, he nodded without word and made his way inside. "What brings you here?"

"I wanted to pay you a visit," he replied as calmly as possible. "I just wasn't sure you'd be home, your dad has his press conference, and your mom-"

"Is still overseas visiting her family." He raised an eyebrow, watching as Tori floated across the room to sit on the couch. "I told you that, didn't I? Trina's all set up at college, so she decided to pay her relatives a quick visit."

"Spain to Ireland, huh? That's a long trip." He walked over, noting his surroundings. Tori was in a flannel robe and a pink nightgown, not at all dressed to attend her father's meeting. It through him off because she told them she was going to be present.

On the coffee table was a pair of David's handcuffs. "That's strange." He pointed to them and Tori turned her head towards them. Her arms slid along the top of the couch and her shoulders peaked. "Why did he leave those here?"

"Didn't need 'em. Also, I just grabbed them out of his study to look at them. I find handcuffs fascinating you know." He furrowed his brow and looked at the study, the door was wide open. He felt his heartbeat skip and every muscle in his body was itching to go in; but there was no way he would get in with Tori here.

At the same time, this was the one chance he would be getting. He _needed_ that book. Andre took a seat next to her and lifted up the handcuffs. Both cuffs were unlatched. "Did you grab the key?" She shook her head and poked her thumb over her shoulder at the study.

"The key is still in my dad's drawer." Her eyes slid towards him and a slick grin spread over her face. "So, you wanted to come visit me? I thought you didn't like me anymore or something."

"Well no. I just…It could be time to bury the hatchet maybe. To apologize for any harshness." Tori nodded at him and he bit his tongue. Every minute breathing the same air as her felt like he was ingesting poison.

Rather than think about it, he kept reminding himself of all the reasons he needed the book of names, primarily so Detective Malone could bring down the corruption as much as possible.

His eyes travelled from the handcuffs to Tori's wrist, and a new idea came to light. He wasn't sure he'd have any success, but he was willing to do anything to distract her. "You know, I think I was just a bit jealous."

"Jealous?" She swayed back, her eyebrow rising. Andre knew enough from observing both her, and her sister, to know that Tori could be a slight bit naïve.

Trina would be harder to fool. There was always something more about Trina than what met the eye, but he could never put his finger on it. He knew she could act, from when they would don disguises to fool people for the group, she was good at pretending to be something else; and damn good at acting so obnoxious and irritating.

Tori on the other hand had no reason to distrust him, as far as he believed. "Yeah, you were fawning all over Beck. I've always liked you, you know, and he has this fixation on Jade." Tori smiled at him and Andre turned his head up to her. "I couldn't understand it. Why was he getting all the attention?"

Tori leaned over, sweeping her fingers along his wrist and forearm, her smile growing. "So you wanted some attention?" He looked into her eyes, choking back on the bile rising n his throat.

"I've written you songs, I was the one that helped you when you were new to Hollywood Arts. I was always the one by your side, and what did _he_ ever do for you?" He sneered for emphasis. Tori chuckled softly, her fingers sliding up his arm. "He basically introduced you to the one woman that did everything in her power to hurt you."

"This is true." Tori chewed her lip a bit and looked down at the handcuffs. "You know." A lump formed in Andre's throat and sweat started to form at the top of his head. "I've always wondered what it was about handcuffs that were supposedly kinky. You know how people are always using them for sex and stuff?"

"Yeah." He closed his eyes and let his shoulders fall. "They're a tool, people like using them because it fulfills some sort of fantasy."

"Yeah, I figure that part. I guess I've never seen them that way. I wouldn't mind trying."

"Oh, I'm sure it's fun." He could see where she was going with this, and it was concerning. Tori might use this to try and snuff him out, if she had reason to think that he was getting too close to something. At the same time, this could be his in. He looked to the handcuffs, now seeming to throb over his pulsing veins. "I could show you…"

"What a great idea." She moved her hand to his face and tilted her head a bit. "I'll confess, a part of me has always liked you too. I can't help but to find you intriguing; but you were always going out with all these different girls…how could I ever take a chance on you without being certain you even wanted that?"

"Fair enough." Tori stood and grabbed his hand, gently pulling him up from the couch. Andre breathed in deep and held onto his breath as he followed her up the stairs and into her room. He wrapped the cuffs around his arm as though they were a rosary of some sort, then watched as she sat on the edge of the bed and let the robe fall off her shoulders.

Under his breath, he started to utter a prayer. "Well?" Tori beckoned him with a sultry voice. "Aren't you going to come over?" He opened his eyes partially and gasped when he saw her gown removed. Her bra cups seemed a bit too large, allowing for her hair to fall into them and fill any gaps. "I'm waiting…"

Sweat ran down the side of his face and he took a brave step forward. His hand tensed around the cuffs as he leaned in to kiss her. With his body he pushed her back onto the bed. This was a kiss to the enemy, and as revolting as he could have imagined; but there was a strange sweetness as well, intoxicating as it was deadly.

He ran his hand along her thigh and began lowering his kisses down her chin. His eyes rolled upwards to gaze at her as she tilted her head back. Andre's nostrils flared out as he slowly ran his hand along the side of her body and up her arm.

"Here's where the handcuffs get to be on the fun side…" Before he could do anything, Tori leaned upwards, kissing his lips firm and grabbing at his shirt. He groaned and let her roll his shirt up and off his body.

Andre pulled away and let her fall back to the bed. He turned his gaze into her tempting eyes and he could see in them the reason Beck was so charmed. This was the temptress, this was the Delilah, the siren that could disrupt anyone.

Thinking fast, he swung his arms around to her wrists and pulled them to the bedpost. Tori squealed, her body arching upwards, and Andre swiftly fastened one end of the cuffs around her wrist. The second cuff, he fastened around the bedpost.

A slick smirk spread across his face and Tori started to squirm beneath him. "And now, Tori." He leaned down, gazing into her eyes while gently caressing her cheek. "My kiss goodbye."

"What?"

He kissed her lips one last time, hard as he could, then hopped off the bed. "Where are you going?" Tori was breathless, and each turn of her body was blocked by the bind she was in. As he grabbed his shirt from her bed and walked to the door, he could hear her screaming at him to get back in the room.

He wasn't sure how long she'd be stuck there, so he knew he had to act fast. With haste, he ran down the stairs and into David's study. He searched the drawers of his desk, the walls, and every inch of the room that he could until he found the black book hidden away on a bookshelf. It was so obscure and looked just like half the other books, that it would have been almost impossible to find it without going through the pages of each one.

When Andre found a book with a list of important names, he was convinced it was the right one. He took off, leaving the house as fast as he could while wiping his mouth with his forearm.

"Thank god I'm out." He started for his car and stopped when his phone began to chime. Grabbing it from his wallet, he checked the screen and furrowed his brow when he saw Beck's number. "Beck?" He exhaled and quickly answered, happy to finally hear from his friend.

"Beck, how come you've never answered any of my calls? Where have you been!"

"It's me." A familiar voice silenced him. His heartbeat froze and tears started to burst from his eyes. "Beck pulled me out of that fucking hellhole."

"Robbie. Oh god, you're alive."

"Barely. Not sure I would've lasted much longer, man. The girls…" Robbie sounded exhausted, and his voice barely understood, but none of that mattered. For Andre, all that mattered was his friend was alive. "The girls are still out there, man. I never wanted to leave Cat. She…you don't know what she might do."

"I'm sure she'll be fine."

"I'm not too worried about her, I know she can handle herself. It's Jade I'm worried about. They've got her. They've got her man. Beck, I've tried telling him, but he hasn't said anything. He hasn't so much as moved from his room."

"What?" He scratched his hair and looked up to Tori's bedroom window. "What are you saying."

"We've all been fucked, the minute we met the Vegas. Jade didn't want to believe when she saw the woman's face right in front of her, and Beck…I don't know if he's denying it or just, I don't know what's going on in his head man. We're both concerned about you though, I needed to let you know, to warn you."

A nagging feeling in the back of his mind was filling him with a strange sort of fear. "Warn me about what?"

"The Sidero crime family. The Vega's aren't just associated, they _are_ the Sidero. Trina's the new head, man. She's the leader now, and Tori's taking over the California and United States branch." His stomach flipped, reviled by the news, and he slowly turned his head away. His eyes closed and he let out a small, disgusted groan. "Andre? What is it?"

"N-Nothing. I knew they had to be a part of something, I just…didn't know it was that bad." This was surprisingly shocking to him, more than he would have expected it to be. He knew what it meant. "I'm okay. I've been working with some people to try and bring them down."

"Okay."

He opened his eyes and let out a husky sigh. "I've currently got Tori handcuffed to her bed, so she's not going anywhere." Robbie was quiet for a moment, then he responded with a slow, questionable tone.

"What does that mean? How the hell…"

"I'd rather not talk about it. I've got Mr. Vega's book of people on his payroll. He's paying off some pretty important people. Robbie, I've got Detective Malone on our side. We're going to bring down their California operation."

"Just be careful. I would be scared of Trina, if you directly attack her father or her sister…I don't know what she'd do."

"Well." His eyes drifted back to Tori's bedroom window and he felt the bile in his stomach jump to his mouth, where he forced himself to swallow it back down. "It's a chance I'm willing to take. We need to get these bastards out of our state, no…" He grit his teeth and clenched his fist. "Out of our fucking country. Where are you and Beck?"

"Mexico."

"Oh. Wonderful."

"No idea where Cat or Jade are, but we're working on it. Beck wants to take out Miguel Sidero though, and I'm right there with him. These bastards are going to pay one way or another."

Andre started up his car and set the book down on the seat next to him. "Damn right." He wasn't going to be getting the foul taste out of his mouth anytime soon. Being a Sidero by blood himself thanks to his grandmother, he didn't want to think anymore about what had just occurred. "Guess…I'm willing to do whatever it takes to send them packing, then." He rolled his eyes and spoke under his breath. "At least I didn't fuck her."

* * *

Well there's sleeping with the enemy and then there's...yeah, poor Andre. At least he got what he needed though. Robbie seems to be up, that's good also. So what are your thoughts here? Think Andre may have just made the war a bit worse.


	21. Deep Cuts

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N: Hey Liz, I know you're eager to see Beck find Jade, but you gotta remember it's a process. He doesn't know where she is, and the only way they're going to find her is to go through the ranks and get the help. Andre may be closest to finding her, though that may prove harder after what just happened with Tori. It won't be long though, a great story isn't rushed, be patient and you shall be satisfied. Enjoy the process, enjoy the story.. I'm glad you're enjoying it, and I thank everyone for reading this

* * *

Chapter 21 (Deep Cuts)

Beck sat hunched forward on the edge of a motel bed, his elbows bent on his knees and hands clasped over each other beneath his chin. His gaze was fixated intensely on the floor, though his mind couldn't be less than miles away. Thoughts of betrayal weighed him down like a ton of rocks.

For as much as he wanted to disbelieve Robbie, to say his friend had to be wrong, he couldn't; and it hurt. Robbie had been there, how could he possibly be wrong and so angry? What Beck couldn't figure out was what hurt worse, the fact that the Vega family and the Sidero crime family were one in the same, or that he was the one who convinced his friends to let Tori into their group so long ago.

He supposed that part of him always knew something was off. The nagging sensation in the back of his head, every cold look from Trina and every vindictive action from Tori would chill him to the bone at times. Sometimes he found himself pondering what more there was that met the eye, because rarely had Tori ever spoken about her family unless it was to rag on her sister.

Beck's upper hand slid further over his lower, clutching it tightly. His brow grew heavier as he narrowed his eyes. A shaky exhale escaped his lips and his head shook from side to side.

Never had he considered himself so blind, always the resourceful one and always the one trying to keep everyone else calm and centered. Frazzled as he'd been, the feeling that ate away at him was the lowest he'd ever had. It didn't help that this news came with the death of Carla, who'd become a dear friend. He blamed himself for that, just as much as he blamed himself for the introduction of Tori into their fold.

"You were right," he whispered aloud. The crease on his forehead grew longer and his dry eyes stung as though ready to cry. All this time he found Jade's distrust of Tori unfounded, blaming her for being so jealous; and now she had reason. "Trina wants to kill us all, and it's my fault. Why didn't I listen to you?" He wanted to scream, he wanted to cry and get angry, but all he could do was remain silent. "How could I get things so wrong?"

The door behind him opened up, causing him to tense. He peered over his shoulder, half expecting Manuel or Trina herself to walk in with a gun in hand, ready for execution. Instead, it was Estela. Her stern expression turned to one of calmness. She hadn't spoken to him since what happened to Carla, possibly blaming him just as much.

"I heard what happened." She walked to him and carefully sat on the edge of the bed next to him. Beck turned his head away, looking back at the floor as he hung his head lower. "Being betrayed by a trusted friend…"

"I don't know if you could call it that." If anything, they were lied to and strung along. The question that kept running through his mind was whether or not Tori had ever been their friend. Estela's lips pressed together and she laced her hands between her knees, leaning forward as he was. Her eyes burned the window and drapes straight across from them.

"You felt they were your friends, that alone is enough to suggest a betrayal from somebody you grew to trust." She closed her eyes and parted her lips for a gentle exhale. "I know how it feels, to be caught in the whims and charms of somebody, to grow close to them only to have them use you or string you along. It's easy to release some of the hurt to say they never truly cared for you than to say they betrayed you…but a betrayal is still a betrayal, no matter what form it comes as."

Beck's eyelids sealed tightly over his eyes and he grimaced as a pain stabbed his side. "I'm the one that talked my friends, even Jade, into letting Tori be a part of our group. I let them in." Estela nodded slowly as Beck raised his hands over his face. "Jade didn't like her, didn't trust her; but I only accused her of being jealous and ignored her concerns."

"How could you have known? Even Jade couldn't have known. Maybe she was just being jealous, maybe she sensed something wasn't right, but didn't know what it was that was wrong." Estela reached over, placing a gentle hand onto Beck's wrist. He lowered his hands, then moved his arms down to his legs with a heavy sigh. "Never blame yourself for something that you cannot have ever predicted. You don't know what would have happened either had you possibly rejected her from the start."

Estela had a point, had he flat out rejected Tori, it was possible she would have done something to hurt them even then. There was no predicting the outcome. "Your intentions were good. According to Robbie, you wanted to make her feel welcome at a new school, and that is so important."

"Why is it so important?"

"It means you have a good heart, that your heart is in the right place." Beck chuckled sadly and looked away as Estela fell silent. After a few seconds, she leaned back a bit and raised her eyes towards the ceiling. "Carla saw that in you. That's why she liked you, I think." Beck raised an eyebrow and glanced sideways at Estela.

"I'm sorry about what happened to her. I know it's no consolation, but-"

"No, don't be sorry." The skin around her eyes tightened and she looked downward. "She would not want grief or apologies. Dying for a good cause, for something right, that's what she would have wanted. She never liked the life we had, it wasn't easy and we didn't always make the best choices."

Estela stood slowly, walked across the room and turned her back against a wall. Leaning against it, she crossed her arms and waited as Beck met her gaze. "She always wanted something more, she wanted her life to mean something, to have purpose. Meeting you, doing what we have for this country, I've never seen her so happy. So filled with fulfillment. You inspired something in her, something I've never seen before."

Beck's face started to turn red and he let out a sad chuckle. "I…don't know what to say."

"Say nothing. She admired you, and I think she had as much of a crush on you as any woman could." His eyebrows rose and he remained quiet. Flattered as he was, there was nothing he could say or do about that. "Your heart was set on Jade, she understood and admired you for that. Not many people, men or women, are that well-intended…especially not in the situation you are in."

"I-I'm glad to have given her something, I suppose."

"You gave her hope, you gave her purpose." Estela turned her head sideways and narrowed her eyes at the wall. For a moment, Beck caught a glimpse of a tear running from her eye. "I've never seen her smile the way she had, never seen her so passionate. She fell for you, and because of that, she wanted to help you find your love more than anything."

His heart skipped a moment and fresh tears lined the bottom of his eyes. He looked down and waited as Estela lowered her arms and took a few steps forward. "For her, helping you rescue your friend, dying for you and for the country…it would be selfish for me to want to keep her, as torn up as I am without her, I know this outcome is exactly what she would have wanted."

"I'm glad that she was happy for a little while, then."

"Yes. So, we are going to follow through with our plans. Our movement has grown stronger, Carla's passing lit something for the people of Mexico. They know that their General had a civilian captive, that he murdered prostitutes and of course now Carla…The people are riled up, some calling for him to step down and be stripped of his titles. Some are even calling for the Presidente to step down, finding him corruptible."

"I don't know about your president, but I'm sure Manuel's not going to go out with a fight."

"He won't, but we are fortunate." Beck furrowed his brow and scrunched his nose a bit. A smirk formed on Estela's face. "When Carla sliced down his arm, she cut through some severe nerves and muscles. His good arm has been rendered useless, which means he's been weakened."

"Well that's good, at least."

"We do have another problem. His ex-wife, who controls the upper half of Mexico has come to assist him. To get to him, we must now go through her." He dropped his jaw and raised a trembling hand over his eyes. "Manuel is a political battle, first removing him from power. His wife is his bodyguard of sorts, a protector with many connections."

He mumbled incoherently and fell backwards onto the bed, groaning loudly. "Great." Estela stroked her chin and paced to the right, her hair bouncing with each step.

"We do have an in. Someone's approached us recently, I don't entirely trust her, but her desire to assist seems genuine. She seems to be a fighter as well, and has connections to the drug trade tied to Mari Sidero.

"How is she connected? What's her background? Who is this person?"

As though on cue, he heard another voice in the room, a raspy feminine voice. He turned to see a woman standing in the doorway, with black hooded jacket that kept her face partially covered, and purple scarf wrapped around her neck and lower portion of her face.

The sleeves of the jacket were torn off, revealing long and pale arms that bore several scars of ancient needle marks, perhaps belonging to that of a former drug user. Her legs were covered in tight-fitting pants that ran into her shoes. "Mari Sidero fucked with me years ago when I joined her heroin ring. I did favors for her, she promise me much, dosing me up with drugs and promising me more as well as promising rank…with higher rank, more drugs, but with a caveat. Certain things I had to do. She had me so hooked on drugs, I would do anything and everything for her."

"What did you do?"

"That's personal." The woman raised her head a bit, to where Beck could only see pale brown eyes, filled with pain. She had scars on her face, and a portion of her head was slightly dented as though sustaining a major head injury. "But what she cost me, what my addiction cost me, Mari Sidero will die. I've been hunting her since I got out of prison, and I only just heard about your movement against Manuel. I want in."

There was something about this woman that struck Beck with uncertainty and fear, but he couldn't put a finger on it. She was scary, that much was certain, and she had death in her eyes. "Why won't you show your face?"

"I refuse to. I don't want Mari to have any inkling that I may be hunting her, that I am in Mexico. If she suspects, she will return to hiding."

He squinted, looking from her to Estela and back. "Why help us? Why come to us at all?" It was clear this woman was a loner, and one that didn't appear to operate with the desire of aiding anybody.

"Because we have a mutual enemy, and she has something I want."

"Which is?"

"Personal." The woman's cold and distant eyes narrowed, the ancient pain turning to anger and hatred. "For me, it goes beyond that of rebellion or restitution. This cuts deep. My desire to see her and her family burn is a greater drug than any."

"So who are you? I mean…you aren't saying."

"I'm a criminal, and one that you need if you want to get close to Mari or her husband." The woman turned away, and as quickly as she entered into his life, she walked out. Beck could feel the hair standing on the back of his neck, and the cold sweat he'd developed was now felt as a startling fear filled his heart.

On one hand, he didn't want to accept this stranger's help; but on the other it was an enticing offer. She had connections to Mari, and wanted to get to her more than anything. While he wasn't sure what her motivations were, he was sure her skills could be useful. Estela looked at him, remaining silent as though awaiting his response.

"I guess." He shrugged and shook his head slowly. "We could use all the help we can get, even if it's from someone like that." Estela nodded slowly and pressed her lips firmly together.

"If she can get us close, and even deal the blow we need, I say we use her. She may be a blessing in disguise."

"I don't know if anyone's ever given me that much of a fright. I thought I'd die just looking at her." There was something sinister about the woman, like a great evil that was like a dormant volcano. He didn't want to get too close, whatever vendettas she had, he knew better than to question. "May as well give her what she wants. Get her to Mari."

"I think she wants something more, but as it is, I do not know her motives either. To me, it reeks of revenge."

* * *

So much to take in, it's sinking still for Beck that those he thought he was so close to are the very enemy he's fighting. Now the plight has another ally, a mysterious and dangerous one. Who is this mystery woman? What vendetta does she have against the Sidero clan? What could they have that she wants? What is the strange feeling that Beck is getting from her, and just how much should he trust her? Carla's sacrifice turned out to be a good one it seems, the fight has grown stronger while Manuel has grown weaker. Let us see what happens, and how much closer Beck gets in the struggle. I'm sure he, Robbie and Andre will be reunited soon.


	22. Coming to Terms

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 22 (Coming to Terms)

Somewhere tucked away in home in Madrid, Jade found herself in an oddly strange place to be locked away in. The room was a medium sized bedroom with warm red painted walls and violet carpeting. There were two windows on the back wall, albeit barred from the inside, which looked out onto the wooded area and vast lake below. Between the two windows was her bed, a comfy queen size mattress with black bedsheets and a black comforter with a red lace trim. The bed faced her door, which was locked from the outside, so she couldn't leave the room on her own.

Beside the bed, on the right, was an oak desk bearing a small desk lamp and a journal, strangely gifted to her, for her to write down her thoughts. There was a tall bookshelf beside the desk, filled to the brim with all sorts of books for her to read, on multiple subjects both fiction and non-fiction. She even had a small notepad for her to write, a hobby to help pass the time.

There was a walk-in closet as well, on the left, with a variety of outfits for her to change into; and next to that was a bathroom with a large tub. Straight across from the bed, a few inches from the door, was an oak television stand with a gaming console and a television for which to watch some of her favorite shows. There was a small recliner for her to sit in as well, purple and soft like cotton.

She was amazed that for the first time in her captivity, she felt oddly comfortable. It took her some adjusting to before she was able to take advantage of some of the small luxuries provided. All her basic needs were taken care of. She knew she was still in captivity, but felt less like a caged rat than she'd been feeling. Still, she worried about her friends and wanted a way to get in touch with them; but the distractions did help, even if they only kept her from fearing what may happen to her.

With her back to the bed's headboard, Jade had her legs extended and crossed on the mattress. In her hands was one of the mystery novels that she picked out from the bookshelf. She was engrossed in it, but still keeping an eye out for anything strange.

It didn't take long for the door's lock to latch to slide out. At the sound of the handle turning, Jade raised her head up and held her breath as she watched Trina slowly enter the room. "How are you?" Trina asked while moving towards the bed. She held a plate of food in her hand, warm steak with mashed potatoes and carrots. Jade's stomach rumbled as her eyes rested on the food. She hesitated for a moment, staring at it as the plate was set beside her. "It is not poisoned, I promise you that."

"I don't understand. Why are you doing this? Up until now, I've been in cells." She raised her eyes to Trina, still having trouble believing that this woman was a part of the mafia family attacking her friends, much less in charge of it. "Why are you being so nice? Are you waiting for me to go into labor or something? Take my child? What is it?"

"Nothing of the sort." Trina crossed her arms and motioned with a nod to the food. "Eat." Jade, with mild hesitation, took the plate and picked up the silverware resting beside the meat. "As far as I'm concerned, once all is said and done, you'll be free to go. You've suffered enough, and you will have a child to take care of."

"I still don't get it. You're in charge of the Sidero family. I _know_ you can't stand me. Why even let me live? Why not kill me once my baby's born?" Trina raised her head a bit, glancing at the windows. Jade tentatively pushed the steak with her fork, sighing heavily as she waited some sort of response.

"It wasn't that long ago that I was pregnant, with my fiancé's child." Jade cut a piece of steak off and raised it to her lips, her brow furrowed as she took a small bite. Trina's hardened face grew soft, and her eyes appeared to glisten. "I was ecstatic, happy to be a mother. It didn't matter who I was, what I was doing, I couldn't imagine any other joy." A smile cracked on Trina's face, and Jade started to smile as well, looking down at her abdomen with eager anticipation.

When she realized that Trina had never gone into labor and had no children, she started to frown as a gloomy understanding came over her. "You lost it…." A tear ran away from Trina's face and she started to nod.

"One of those pranks your friends enjoyed pulling on me." Trina's eyes narrowed and Jade felt her heart drop into her stomach. "I was devastated. In fact, Tori and my parents were just as devastated, if not more; but what could I do?"

Perhaps this was what it was all about, destroying the others out of revenge. "So, that's why you're doing this? Why you took me, Cat and Robbie…why you're stringing Beck and Andre along?"

"Most of that is Tori." Jade raised an eyebrow and Trina's shoulders rose. "I'm in charge of the Sidero family, I have much bigger concerns and more pressing matters that demand my attention." The woman's hands fell to her hips and an eyebrow arched a bit. "Until a certain somebody managed to dismantle my fiancés family, I was on the verge of uniting two powerful mafia families."

"Wow, what happened?"

"Jason's family was decimated, he now has to pull them out of the ashes. Murdered by some assassin group." Jade nodded slowly and took another bite of her meal. Each bite was faster than the last, eaten with more confidence.

"Sorry to hear that…Does that mean that Mr. Sikowitz?"

"Yes."

It was difficult to come to terms to everything, but strangely she was accepting the news. All these years, she trusted Mr. Sikowitz and looked up to him; but he wasn't who she thought. "I don't know how to deal with the fact that no one I know are who they say they are."

"Well. You've got Beck. He still pursues you, but in doing so is costing me dearly." Trina scoffed and turned away partially. "My sister's little plan is getting out of hand, greatly. This is why I have pulled you here, she would see you dead just as much as the others."

Jade's blood went cold at those words. As she understood it, Tori took her sister's miscarriage so hard that she came up with the idea of kidnapping them all; but at the same time, she felt like she was missing something. "If this was Tori's idea, but you're in charge, why are you going along with this?"

"I want to see what she's willing to do with it. Is she willing to focus her efforts on claiming California and the United States, or will she be too distracted with her little game and fail." Trina took a seat at the desk and folded an arm over the surface. She let out a heavy sigh and her eyes drifted towards the plate. "I would be lying if I didn't say part of me going along is the part that wants to see your friends suffer for all the shit they've put me through."

Jade paused, her fork hovering inches above the steak. Her brow started to furrow and she peered at the meat for what felt like the longest time. "So, you're protecting me because you want me _and_ my child to live; but does that mean you'll kill my baby's father?" Trina remained silent as Jade studied her with a sideways glance. Her heartbeat seemed to echo in the room. "What is he walking into? If he's really even looking."

"He is. Last I heard, he's in Mexico. His revolution almost killed my Uncle." Trina's fingers curled under her hand and she started to close her eyes. "I cannot promise you that Beck will live or die, I have only offered my protection for you. What he does is his own doing. Tori intends his death at this point, however."

"Why? I kind of thought-"

"That she liked him?" Trina laughed once and Jade flinched. "No. She may have entertained the possibility of turning him onto her side, maybe using him as someone to kickstart the next generation for her branch in the family; but that thought was too far out there. She wants to use you as the bait, so that he will get close to you and then she will kill him. She was going to do the same with Andre, until the pair separated."

"So Tori wants to kill him…"

"What she wants, I may not give her if she can't focus her primary efforts on the main task." Trina scowled and Jade scrunched her face a bit, still curious. "For the most part, I will tell you her plan for this little game of hers. She would have you witness Beck's death." Jade's eyes grew large as Trina circled her hand in the air. "She would have him walk directly into a trap. As for Andre, I believe she's planning something else for him now."

"Why tell me all this?"

"To better prepare you, so that you may come to terms to what may lie ahead." It seemed Trina was willing to let Tori have her fun in the name of revenge, but at the same time it seemed like Jade could potentially sway Trina away if at all possible. For Trina was a hardened leader, whose primary focus was on a different agenda.

"But why leave my baby without a father?"

"You had not told him, if I am correct." Jade dropped her head as Trina's gaze burned into her. "Where you planning on it? Or, since you were broken up, were you planning on not telling him and raising your baby without him? Dead or alive, would that baby even have known its father?" A feeling of guilt rose in her chest and she bit down on her lip. She wanted to tell Trina that she was wrong, but that was the problem, Trina was right.

"Now, he's all I can think about." She closed her left hand on the blanket and took a deep breath. Her eyes filled with fresh tears and she looked up from her food, suddenly losing her appetite. "Now, all I want is for him to be here, to hold me and know his child. I can't imagine my baby growing up not knowing Beck."

"Is this from your heart, or is it because you're feeling like your life is in danger and he's the knight coming to your rescue?" Her jaw opened and the fork in her hand trembled with her fingers. "If I told you who he was allied with in Mexico, would your opinion change? He broke up with you because he accused you of jealousy, but could you look beyond your jealousy enough to trust him?"

"I-I…I think so."

"No. You should know." How could she not know what was in her heart? She loved Beck, there was no doubt in her mind she wanted to be with him. He was the one that was always there. Trina rose to her feet and walked forward, peering into Jade's eyes. She reached down, tucking her fingers underneath her chin and lifting her gaze up. "Tell you what. You prove to me that you can trust him, that you can love him and be with him, let him know his baby…and I will do what I can to get my sister to abandon her secondary cause."

"But what does that mean if he keeps looking?"

"If he keeps getting into my family's way, I cannot promise they won't do what they can to remove him. He is a threat. He's taken out my aunt and uncle in Cuba, and is doing more than enough damage in Mexico right now. Don't think they won't act if their place is threatened."

"I get it." She started to tense, growing fearful now for Beck and his hunt. "He's creating a problem for them, and when there's a problem, you remove the source."

"Exactly."

"A-And who is he allied with in Mexico?"

Trina took a deep breath and folded her arms across her chests. "The prostitutes who have incited the rebellion against my Uncle." Her heart stopped and her eyes grew large. Part of her wanted to deny Trina, to ask what reason she had to believe her; but there was nothing that seemed dishonest in the woman during this conversation. "Uncle Manuel's people have not noted any incident where he may have strayed from you, though; but then, his people haven't been able to keep that much of an eye on him."

"Why tell me this? You know I have problems with-"

"Handling the idea of another woman around Beck? Yes." Trina shrugged. "But take my fiancé, I know him and I know his heart." Trina raised a hand to her chest. "I know he would not stray from me, even if surrounded by one hundred beautiful women." Jade's lip quivered and her hands lowered to the comforter. "I trust him. You need to ask yourself, do you trust Beck?"

"I want to say I do, it's just…I'm insecure."

"Has he ever cheated on you before, Jade?"

"No." She closed her eyes and sighed. Beck had always been true to her, she knew this. "It's just, he's always been so popular and all the girls like him, so I felt like I had to push them away somehow. I felt like if he had a choice, he'd pick them over me."

"Why?"

"Because I feel like they're better?" Jade let out a sob and threw up her hands. "What use am I to him? My own sister hated me, as far as I know." Trina swept a hand through her hair, smirking slightly.

"Ah, there it is." Jade panted a bit, her eyebrows closing in together. "You feel like you're unlovable, and therefore, why would Beck want to be with you when there's a better option out there." Her eyes darted away and Trina walked towards the bedroom door. "But think on this for a while: Beck has always had a choice." She looked back to Trina, raising her head a bit. "He has never strayed. Why? You haven't forced him to stay with you. If he really wanted to leave you for 'something better', he would have done so already; but he hasn't." Trina's hand came to rest on the handle and she turned her head, glancing over her shoulder. "Has he? Because you are the better option."

Jade gasped out, tears sliding down her face. She watched as Trina exited the room, her words weighing heavily on her heart. All of her insecurities and fears, she knew she had to cast them aside somehow. For, who was saving whom, if Trina's words rang true? Beck may come to save her, but if she didn't convince Trina that she loved and trusted him, Trina may well allow Tori to follow through with killing him.

At the same time, she didn't know why there was hesitation when she said she loved him. With all of her heart she did, but the nagging feeling that he might leave her was always present. She never wanted to get hurt, and it was so hard to trust anybody aside from herself to not hurt her in some way. So even then, she hadn't trusted him not to somehow hurt her.

In a world where nothing seemed real, he was the only thing that seemed to be true to her; and now it felt like his life depended on her believing and trusting that. "One hundred beautiful women?" Jade moved the plate to the edge of the desk and slowly curled under the comforter. "Would Beck be able to resist the charms of another? Does he really want to be with me?" She sniffled and curled her hand under her cheek. "He broke up with me because I couldn't trust him…so why is he even trying to find me?"

* * *

We learned much going on here, and so has Jade. It seems Beck's life may depend on her overcoming her own doubts and insecurities. In the meantime it seems Tori is more focused on taking out revenge than Trina, who seems focused on trying to build the Sidero family up; but alas Tori's lust for revenge seems to be causing problems for the Sidero clan, and that appears to be the source of Trina's frustration with her sister. So, what are your thoughts on everything?


	23. Trail of Blood

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 23 (Trail of Blood)

Beck waited news from Estela and her spies, pacing his hotel floor in aggravation. The mystery woman was in another room, sharpening her weapons before going out to train, and even Robbie seemed to be growing antsy.

He'd been able to reach out to Andre and figure out what the situation was in LA, and the news concerned him greatly. He couldn't stand knowing his best friend was operating by himself, but glad at the same time that the Puckett and Benson families had thrown their hat into the mix and were working with Detective Malone to bring David Vega down to his knees. The unfortunate scenario was Andre's latest ploy cast him as a heavy target in the eyes of the LA law enforcement; now Chief Vega was willing to charge Andre with assault and attempted murder of his daughter. Andre had to lie low if he was to be successful in any way.

"We should be there." Robbie raised a glass of whiskey to his lips, letting it tremble as his eyes fell towards the bandaged stump on the end of his arm. Beck had never known Robbie to drink before, especially being underage for the United States; but part of him wasn't surprised. After all, he knew Robbie well enough to know the man had his own demons to fight just as he and Andre had. "Andre's fighting an uphill battle. The gangs of LA have turned against him, whatever allies he had, and now all he's got is one detective."

"He's got two powerful mafia families on his side, and Detective Malone has his own group of people."

Robbie lowered the glass down to the desk, practically slamming it. "Andre can't wait on Gary to make a million arrests, Beck." Beck furrowed his brow as Robbie twisted away from the desk. The boy's frazzled hair flew before his dark gaze and his lips grew tense. "What are we doing here in Mexico still? We should move onwards. Who cares about Manuel and Mari?" Beck frowned as Robbie swept his hand through the air. "Let them rot. Estela's rebels, and this strange chick will be able to tear them apart without our help."

Beck moved forward, bringing his hands to his chest. "We owe it to them to remove these people from power. Just like Andre's in LA doing what it takes to free them from Mr. Vega." Robbie raised a hand to his face and slid it down slowly.

"We owe it to the girls to find them. Jade's fine, the Sidero family made it clear she was not to be harmed. I'm not worried about her." Beck leaned his head back and his brow wrinkled. "She's safe. It's Cat that I'm worried about." Robbie turned back to his glass and peered down, muttering something under his breath.

Beck squinted and took another step forward, shocked that Robbie wasn't as worried about Jade as he was. Still, it didn't make sense to him what his friend said. "Why would they even care about leaving Jade alive, Robbie? You say it's because the leader doesn't want to let her lose that baby; but the leader is _Trina_ , right?"

Robbie cupped his hand over the whiskey glass, sliding his fingertips along the rim. The boy's eyes moved up along the wall and his body seemed to roll forward as an exhale drifted from his lips. "Yeah."

"Trina. The one that Jade has mocked the worst. She's the one all of us treated like shit. If _anything_ , Trina would want all of us dead. Why would she give a shit about Jade and her baby?"

"I think she has bigger fish to fry, that's why." Robbie closed his eyes and bowed his head a bit. "She seems far more interested growing her ties. That's why I'm not worried about Jade." The door slid open and Estela entered with their newest ally. Beck looked her way, taking in a deep breath.

The woman's eyebrows lifted and she looked from Beck to Robbie. "Am I interrupting something?" Beck's shoulders dropped and he extended a hand to his friend.

"Robbie says Jade's in no danger, that he's not worried about her." The second woman's eyes narrowed a bit and Estela hummed in reply. "He's more worried about Cat's safety." Robbie chuckled a bit and the corner of his lip curled upwards.

"I'm not worried about Cat's safety." Beck paused and his eyebrow arched. Robbie didn't turn from his spot, still hunched over his whiskey. "I'm more worried about her sanity, her ability to not become backed into a wall and become something she's not." Robbie's words were all a jumbled mess for Beck to understand, bewildered, he gave an exasperated sigh and shook his head.

"Cat is-"

"Not who you think she is." Robbie's hand curled around the glass and his eyes darted to the corners. "I've known her far longer than any of you. I know who she is, what she is. I know her family, the family she's been trying desperately to distance herself from…I know how they keep trying to pull her back in, get her to be one of them again, I'd always talk her away from them if they ever managed to tempt her enough-to remind her what she's trying to stay away from."

Blinking twice, Beck approached Robbie and gently set a hand on his shoulder. "What are you saying, Rob?"

"I'm saying, now that I'm not with her and there's no certainty what kind of state she's in; if there's no other choice, nobody to keep her stable…" Robbie took a deep breath, his entire body trembling as his voice lowered. "Estela, were you able to pinpoint any possible locations that Cat and Jade might be after we got separated?"

"No," Estela answered, "But we found something else intriguing." Beck turned his gaze to her, waiting as an ominous silence fell over the room. "My spies have learned this: In Russia, someone attacked the mafia family that the newest leader of the Sidero family was planning to unite through marriage." Estela's voice started to quake. "It was a bloodbath. A massacre like I've never seen."

Beck's heart began to sink and he turned fully towards her. Her eyes were quivering as a strange fear settled over her brow. "Honestly, the way it was described…like they were targets."

"Targeted by a family of assassins," Robbie remarked coldly, "How bad was it? Did your spies find out any details?"

"They did. A few spies were able to go in and do some investigation on the compound. It was badly shot up, witnesses described a bloody etch carved into the landscape. No mercy. Someone wanted to take out the Sikowitz-Tyler families, going so far as to disembowel and decapitate the lifeless corpse of their leader."

"W-What did you just say?" Beck felt his blood go cold and his skin grew visibly pale as he recounted Estela's words in his head. Robbie's hand tightened around the glass and he began to sneer. "Sikowitz? Did you say-"

"Yes. It seems that the teacher you mentioned having in LA was one of the leads in that Russian mafia family. His sister was the main head." His knees started to buckle and he heard Robbie clicking his tongue at the betrayal.

"Of course." Robbie straightened his back, but kept his eyes fixated on his whiskey glass. "Betrayed by everyone, what could she know is real and true anymore? If she thought Mr. Sikowitz had betrayed her, I can see a vendetta forming. I'm almost surprised Jade wouldn't have lost her touch and become just as violent."

"Jade abhors violence," said the nameless woman in a soft, yet spiteful, tone. Beck looked at her incredously, watching as she shrugged. "Just by the way you talk about her, it's easy to tell. Just as I can tell what it is that Cat has become, she has become like me."

"No, her family is like you. Stuck on vendettas, filled with hate for the world, greedy and conniving. They trained Cat to be a criminal just like them, raising her until she was the best of all them; the best thief, the best con-artist, and the best killer."

"So what do you suggest? It sounds as though your dearest has escaped whomever held onto her. If you think what happened in Russia was a result of her and her family."

"I believe it was, and I believe we have to find her."

This was overwhelming, far more than he could have expected. He understood what his friend wanted now, to save Cat from herself and her family; but if Estela's spies were correct, would it be too late?

He was heartbroken, imagining Cat to be backed up against a wall and to become something so cold and callous. To picture her in the same position as the woman standing beside Estela was devastating, and far too hard to imagine. "So, what do we do?" He looked at Robbie squarely, feeling heat and sweat running throughout his body. "How do we find Cat, then?"

Robbie raised his eyes a moment, lifting his glass off the desk and hovering it in front of his chest. He blinked twice and peered down at the liquid, swirling freely about. "Simple. She's out, she's free, angry and retreating to her family…" Robbie brought the rim to his lower lip, taking a prolonged sip before pulling the glass away with a sigh. "We follow the trail of blood."

Miles away, Ireland was coated with flame and the streets were drenched with the warm scent of fresh blood. Cat stood over the slumped body of a guard, her blade poised at his neck while streams of crimson flowed from various wounds on his body. She sneered and exhaled through the slits of her teeth. Her crimson hair blew in the air, streaks of blood like highlights amid the fire flowing free.

"Where is she?" Cat panted as the guard trembled. "Tell me." The guard could barely speak, blood spewing from his mouth and down his chin.

"I don't know," he rasped, "She could be anywhere." Unsatisfied with the answer, Cat pushed the tip forward, barely breaking skin and causing the guard to yelp.

"You know where I got this sword?" She pushed the tip upwards, tilting the guard's head up. "When I stormed the Russians compound, it was hanging on their wall somewhere. I took it, as a trophy, and used it to slice through their leaders." The guard began to whimper, his hands closing tight as he stared at the fire in her eyes.

Gunfire filled the air, and screams echoed in their ears. "Do you hear those sounds? That's the sound of my family, slaughtering everyone within your facility." She reached to her hip, slowly unholstering a pistol. The guard's eyes widened and he watched as she crossed her arm over the arm holding the sword. "So, like it or not, we will find her." Her eyes narrowed further and she started to relish in the fear that emanated off the man. "If you tell me now, you may very well save the lives of some of your conspirators by not causing me to have to cull every _fucking_ guard in this place."

"Who do you think you are?"

"My family would like to call themselves the Black Star. I don't concern myself with them, I only have one vendetta to fill, one goal in mind. Simply, I'm using them to get to my goal, once accomplished, I'm done with them."

"No, you're just the same as they are." The man choked out a laugh. Rage flickered like a new flame inside her heart. She started to growl as the man's body grew limp. "You've got murder in your eyes, ice in your veins. You think you're any different than the Sidero? Than the Black Star. They're your family, you're just the same as they-"

Cat's expression went blank, and with little effort, she pushed the tip of her sword into the guard's neck while firing off a bullet into the center of his forehead. Blood splashed onto her, coating her hair and sliding down her face in streams.

With a deep breath, she leaned back and holstered her pistol. "I am not a Black Star." She grabbed a rag from her pocket and slicked it along her blade, then used it to wipe some blood from her face.

She made her way through the facility, remembering every corridor she'd gone through during her escape. When she found the cell that she'd been held in, her stomach started to drop. Her eyes studied the empty cell with great sorrow, it looked as though nothing had been living in it for some time.

"Jade's gone," she said with an exhale. She entered the cell carefully, sniffing the air and tensing her body. "Where did you go?" Her heartbeat pounded like a drum while scanning the room. A shuffling noise caught her attention and she turned her head a bit, peering out the corner of her eyes.

"I heard through the grapevine that you were looking for me." Holly's voice sounded like that of a bird singing in the air. "Or were you looking for your friend? Did you think to rescue her during this bloodbath? Did you think she wouldn't run away in fear of you the minute this all occurred?"

Cat turned around, glaring Holly in the eyes. The woman was sweating profusely and clutching her side. Fresh blood was pumping through her fingers and the woman appeared to be wincing each time she took a breath. "Looks like you got hit by something," Cat replied with a smirk. "Did one of my cousins shoot you?"

"More or less." Holly chuckled sadly and started to shake her head. "I must say, I'm impressed. I could never have pictured such a sweet young child like you capable of all this." Cat cracked her head to the right and slowly exited the cell. "You never seemed the type."

"Put a girl in a cell long enough with no other options, and this is what you get."

"Is it? Your friend didn't seem to think so."

"Jade is different, bitch." Cat walked forward with a scowl, her eyes darkening with every second that passed. "She would never turn to this. She may seem tough on the outside, she may seem violent and angry on a constant level, but she would never be capable of this." Holly turned back her head and laughed.

"This is true. I guess we underestimated the girl whose hair looks like blood, right? Was that intentional? A warning?" Cat's eyes slid down Holly's right arm to the point it was wrapped behind Holly's back. She moved her hand to her holstered gun and watched Holly's head follow her gaze.

"What's behind your back, Holly?"

"Why must you be so suspicious? To think there's anything behind my back at all. Don't you wish to learn what's become of Jade?" Cat's gaze did not flinch, continuing to wait for Holly to make a move. She knew any hesitation or movement of her own could be fatal. "We're at a standstill, because I have information that you want."

"Do you? How hard do you think it would be for me to find Jade?"

"What if she's been buried in the cemetery behind my compound?" Cat's face tensed and she started to shrug, not believing Holly's answer as anything more than an attempt to stir her. "Kill me now, little kitten, and you'll never know just where your friend is. Not only that, but you'll incite the Sidero family far worse than your little massacre in Russia."

"Let them burn. I don't care."

Holly tilted her head and let out a stark laugh. "Why are you doing this? What have you to gain?"

"Satisfaction for my hunger." Cat's voice began to rise, but the cold calmness never left. "Your entire family betrayed us, strung us along for so long and made us think we found a genuine friendship in you. Lied to us. Even our own teacher pulled the wool over our eyes."

"So. Is that what this is?" Holly limped forward and Cat started to brace herself until the woman stopped. The woman strained herself and took in a deep breath. "Joining in with your pathetic family for what? A lust of revenge? All this carnage, just because you were 'lied to'?" Holly's eyebrows rose up. "Newsflash for you, little girl, we never asked for you to become a part of our family. We never invited you into our lives, you and your friends implanted yourselves there."

The skin began to tighten around Cat's eyes. Her hand slowly tightened around the handle of the gun, her finger itched to yank back the trigger. Holly scoffed at her, her voice rising high. "This is all nonsense. If you think for a single minute that any of this is about you, then I've a lesson for you: It is not. You are nothing, your friends are _nothing_." Holly pulled her bloody hand from the wound, throwing it back. "Your family of mercenaries are nobody. All you are is a stain, a blemish on this planet that stole my child's interest for one shining moment." Holly began to pant, her voice now thundering above the slaughter being heard outside. "Insult after insult we had to endure from your fucking group." Cat tilted her head to the side, her eyes dropping to the floor. "Then because of you, my oldest child lost her baby, the one chance she had to become a mother, stolen…and all my littlest one seeks now is revenge, distracted by your fucking group and unwilling to focus her efforts on the one state she has to control." Cat raised her eyes back to Holly's, blinking slowly and parting her lips for a breath.

"Are you finished?"

Holly growled, her chest heaving as blood oozed down her thigh. "You are nothing but a gnat. All Tori desired was to see her niece, to become an aunt. She cared for nothing else until your friends pulled the stunt that murdered that baby." Cat blinked again and rolled her head sideways, giving a small sigh. "The Sidero family will rise, we will grow, but to do so we need Tori to focus-but all she sees is vengeance. Just like you, vengeance is driving you and all this carnage is a result." Holly laughed incredulously, raising a hand to her head. "I see it now." Cat's eyes darted up and her thumb slowly traveled down the hammer of her pistol. "You and Tori are the same. Just as you are the same as your family. All this unnecessary carnage, all in the name of revenge and hatred. You!" Holly pointed at her. "You are an assassin, you are a killer. You are-"

With little effort, tired of listening to Holly's rantings, Cat whipped her pistol upwards and fired a shot. She watched Holly's eyes go large and her body jolt back as blood exploded from the center of her chest. Skin and threads of fabric burst from the woman's back, and a fresh hole appeared in the wall behind her.

Cat's eyes narrowed as the woman sank to the ground. Holly's mouth quivered as her hands ran feverishly across her chest. Cat walked towards her, watching as the woman's gaze rose into her eyes. "Don't ever compare me to them." Cat holstered her gun and unsheathed the sword. "To your daughter or my family." She raised the sword, her expression still blank. "Tori dies next."

Her sword breezed through the air and cut Holly's neck like butter. The woman's head toppled off her shoulders and the body fell forward, revealing those standing behind it. Cat's gaze travelled to her startled parents standing in the doorway, her brothers stood beside them, their mouths agape.

"Jade may be in Madrid," Cat remarked to them. If anything, Jade was safe. She had no doubt that Trina would be protecting Jade's unborn child. "I say we go in a new direction."

"Where?" Her father stumbled over his question, still shaking at the sight of Holly's body.

"Back to California. It's time to pay Tori a visit." She chuckled once while stepping over the body. "Time also for a hit. We need to assassinate Los Angeles's newest police chief."

* * *

Well, looks like Robbie's role was a crucial one. Got separated from Cat, and now she's got no one to keep her grounded. Looks like revenge is running away with her too. Is she too far gone to be saved? What will come of the group now, though? Jade may be safe, but it seems things just keep going from bad to worse.


	24. Expensive Freedom

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 24 (Expensive Freedom)

The hospital was littered with both guards and rebels, tension was high as members of each faction debated whether to attack the other. Manuel was still in his room, undergoing extensive surgeries. Beck didn't know the extent of the injuries Carla had dealt to the man, but some deep scars had to have been left for him to be where he was.

Dressed in medical garb, Beck tied his face mask firmly behind his head. He was sporting a full beard at this point, and cut his hair short in an effort to try and disguise his known appearance. For now, Mari seemed not to be near Manuel's room, having been lured out by Estela.

Beck grabbed the medical cart next to him and took a deep breath, steadying his nerves. He looked to his right and nodded to Robbie, who was dressed up in medical scrubs, wearing contacts and had his hair tied behind his head. "Let's try and get in and out as fast as we can. Estela's bought us some time." Robbie nodded back at him and reached for a small syringe. His face tensed and a flicker of hate shone in his eyes.

"I can't wait to see the look on his face." Robbie started to growl, his heavy eyes trailing down the long corridor. "We have to act natural, don't tip off any of his or Mari's people." The initial plan had been to send one of their people in to do this, someone not easily recognizable like a genuine doctor that had been bought out; but both Beck and Robbie wanted to personally administer the dose of death to Manuel. "Once he's gone, we get Mari and head back to LA, right?"

"I want to go to Madrid, find Jade." They didn't have any way of finding clues in Madrid, but he didn't care. Robbie shot him an exhausted look and waved a hand in the air.

"We can't find her in Madrid without clues or connections, Beck." He frowned and started to cross his arms. "It's clear to me that Cat has somehow gotten free as well and is going on a rampage; if that's the case, she'll go after Tori at some point."

"Let her take her." He started pushing the cart down the hallway, scoffing gently. Robbie followed close behind, shaking his head. "All the lies, all the betrayal…to think I bothered convincing everyone to let her in."

"Quit thinking impulsively and actually use your brain a minute." He stopped and started to turn, glaring at Robbie. "If we just let Cat rampage and kill Tori, we have nothing. Right now we have no way of finding Jade. The best thing to do would be capture Tori or her father and making them reveal the location."

Beck grumbled. "I suppose." He rolled his eyes and continued to push the cart. They turned the corner and fell silent, remaining as calm as possible to not arouse suspicion from any of the associates lingering about in the hallway. Beck had to steady his nerves as he felt their eyes landing on him and watching close.

Each step they took his breathing grew shallower. At one point he felt a sharp nudge in his side and looked to his friend. "Relax," Robbie whispered, "I can tell you're nervous."

He wondered why they couldn't have slipped in through the window that Estela had. Possibly, because Mari would have posted lookouts there when she saw the girl slip through. Especially with the news that Cat was out and possibly targeting members of the Sidero family, each member would likely have that much more protection, unless they didn't think she was the threat. Either way, they knew they had people after them and that meant Beck had to be swift because it would not be long before Mari started making her way back to Manuel's room.

At the man's door stood a burly guard with narrow eyes and a stern expression. The guard held up his hand the minute his eyes made contact with Beck. "Hold on, I can't let you in without proper reason. Lady Mari would have my head, you know, if I were to allow something to happen." Beck smiled at him, turning up the old charm as much as he could muster.

"Yes sir, I'm Dr. Paul Esteban, and this is my nurse. Nurse Marcos. I am only here to check on the patient." The guard nodded slowly, checking the nametag of the uniform they grabbed from the hospital lockers. He studied Robbie and the new prosthetic hand that replaced his old one, then stroked his chin for a long minute. Every second was an eternity before the man smiled back and opened the door.

"Very well, you may go through." If nothing else, the back-up plan was to utilize this as a means of taking out Mari. Surely the second woman would be waiting to take her out.

Upon entry and the minute Beck saw Manuel in the bed, his stomach churned with rage remembering Carla's sacrifice. The man was asleep, so there wasn't much worry. "In and out," he heard Robbie whisper. Beck approached the man's side, glaring down at his face while reaching for the poisoned syringe.

He lifted Manuel's wrist as gently as he could, using his palm to support the limb. "This is for Carla and for Robbie…" Robbie glanced at him, then out the door. The man snapped his fingers a bit, hurrying Beck along as he inserted the needle into the vein. "For everyone you murdered, and for Mexico. May this land be free from you and your vile relatives…" He pushed the poison in, gritting his teeth so hard he could feel them coming to the brink of cracking. "Viva Mexico. Asshole."

Just then, Manuel's eyes shot open. The man's body started to tense and he reached over his stomach, grabbing Beck's wrist firmly. "You!" Manuel's body began to tremble and Beck reached back, trying to pull away.

"Shit."

Robbie leaned over, dealing a quick blow to Manuel's jaw and smashing the man's head into the bed. The act freed Beck, who instantly jumped away from the bed while Robbie shook his wrist. "I wanted to do that for the longest time." Robbie smirked and motioned to the hospital window. "Come on man, out the window!"

By now, the guard outside was shouting for the others. There was a deep, feminine voice bellowing down the hall that made Beck's hair stand on end. "Mari's coming back, dude!" He raced to the window with Robbie, waiting for his friend to go first. Looking back at the doorway, he could see the fury rushing through the corridor. Her darkened hair swirled about her face and she looked like the android from Terminator bearing down on them. "Hurry man, she's almost on top of us."

Robbie clenched his prosthetic hand and sent it through the window, then smashed the remaining pieces out so that he could hop through. "Get them," Mari called, "Don't just stand around, assholes!" She turned the corner, likely making her way to whatever exit would take her to where they were. The guards began making their way into the room.

With his heart racing, Beck grabbed the sides of the window and pulled himself through. He could feel the prickling of glass on his hands, but the adrenaline pumping through his veins made it hard to notice. As he looked back, he saw the mysterious woman slide out of a vent in the room, which shocked him to no end.

"Robbie, that one lady was hiding in the vents."

"Yeah, and?" Robbie wiped his arm across his face and spat on the ground. He turned and watched as the woman sliced through the guards in the room, splashing blood in every direction. Beck's eyes grew large and he raised a hand over his face. "I thought I heard her tell Estela she would be traveling through the vents. She wanted to be in the room just in case something went wrong."

"Did it?"

"I'd say that just went according to plan." Manuel's monitor began to flatline, which was a good sign that the poison plan worked. "With the exception of Mari and their people coming after us." A tugging sensation pulled his attention from the window and he turned to see Robbie bouncing and getting ready to run. The man was looking off in a different direction, so he followed his gaze and felt his blood run cold when he saw Manuel's furious bodyguard rushing around a corner. "Start running, man."

"Fuck!" He took off as fast as his legs could carry him, looking over his shoulder every now and then. When he saw Mari taking aim with a large gun in her hand, he began to panic. "Serpentine, dude, serpentine!" The two began running in as crooked a line as they could, dodging fire wherever they could.

Unlike some of the others, this lady had little interest in talking to them before killing. It was frightening, yet refreshing at the same time to have one of the Sidero clansmen straight up want to murder them without gloating.

"Bring her to the rendezvous site, Beck. That's the plan." They ducked around a corner and hopped into a jeep parked at the curb. Robbie hotwired the vehicle, to Beck's surprise, and started it up. Looking back, he watched Mari grab a driver out of a car sitting at a stoplight. "Here we go…"

"She's not letting us get away."

"Good." The car took off, jerking Beck hard into the passenger seat. Mari charged after them, firing off several rounds of ammo at them. "Beck, get down." Beck did as instructed, and saw Robbie lowering himself just enough to peer over the dash. It seemed as though he'd done this before, and given how he spoke about knowing Cat's tendencies, there was a possibility that he might have.

"Damn man, what were you, Cat's getaway driver or something?"

Robbie sneered and his eyes shot over, causing Beck to flinch. "Now is not the time." Beck's skin began to pale and he turned away, closing his eyes tight due to the world shooting past him at high speeds.

The rumble of the road became bumpy as they went off-road, and with the road went his stomach. He gripped the side of the car and started to lean over the edge to answer the urge to vomit. Before he could, however, Robbie grabbed the back of his shirt and yanked him back into the car.

Eventually they reached the rendezvous point, where Estela and the strange woman were waiting for them. He wasn't sure how the second woman got there before them, but then, he wasn't sure how long Mari had been chasing them. For a second he thought he might have been passed out for half of it; but he didn't remember losing consciousness.

When the car stopped, it was like new life for him. "Thank god." He stumbled out of the vehicle and groaned while trying to get his footing. He blinked at the car, startled to see the amount of bullet holes and dents that littered it.

"Find cover," Robbie ordered. Before he could react, his friend grabbed him and pushed him behind a nearby crate. A powerful screech echoed in the air and Beck raised himself in time to see Mari's vehicle skidding to a halt. Estela and the other woman moved into hiding positions and the world seemed to stop as Mari stepped out of her car.

"I know you're here," hissed the woman. "I will end you and your pathetic revolt." Mari reloaded her weapon and moved slowly around the hood of the car. "Manuel lies dead, the president of Mexico is disgraced. You have won Mexico's freedom, if only for a moment; so come on out." Mari started to smirk. "Come out and die as heroes instead of cowards."

The woman fired a shot into an oil barrel next to them, causing Beck to flinch. His vision began to adjust and he noticed for the first time that they stopped on a port. With that he remembered, they weren't going to waste much time celebrating, they were going to hop a boat and make their way back to California.

Beck held his breath as Mari's shadow stopped next to their hiding spot. "Manuel talked too much, that was his problem. I'll I want is for you to show your head…so that I may promptly fill it with lead." She started to reach for something hanging on her hip, so Beck poked out the side for just a second, studying the object.

His heart stopped when he saw its round shape and long, protruding handle. "Grenade," he whispered, "She has a grenade." There was a clicking sound and Mari started to walk away; but as she left, the grenade rolled beside the crate.

Reacting with quick procession, Robbie kicked the grenade away and into the nearby waters. Beck's eyes widened as the water exploded and Mari's head snapped back. "Aha. There you are." Mari rushed over and grunted while moving the crate out of sight. Beck and Robbie bolted out of place, running off in two directions.

Mari spun around, growling as Beck slid beneath a pallet raised off the ground by a construction crane. He grabbed his pistol out from the inside pocket of his uniform and reached forward, taking aim on Mari. His eyes started to narrow and his lips pulled back into a grimace. "Hey Mari, over here." The woman's head snapped in his direction as he slowly pulled back the hammer. "Say hello to Manuel in hell for me."

He yanked back the trigger, sending a powerful shot into her kneecap. The woman howled and dropped down to one knee, grabbing her leg. She started to raise her weapon, so Beck fired another two shots. One shot missed, but the other struck her wrist and forced the gun out of her hand.

Finding his courage was amazing, but came as no surprise to him because this had to be done. If Mexico was truly going te free, if the world was truly going to be rid of the Sidero family, then they all had to fall.

Before he could fire another shot, Estela's strange friend came into view, her clothes stained with blood. She wielded a long machete in her hand and approached Mari with a virulent sneer. "Hello, Mari, I don't believe you remember me." Mari snapped her head upright and turned over her shoulder, panting heavily as her eyes laid onto her. "The hunter becomes the hunted."

"Here to gloat?"

"No." The woman stepped behind Mari and reached down, gripping the woman's shoulder with a grip resembling a hawk's talons. "There was once a family. A man, his wife, and two children. The oldest was approached by a woman offering promise of community, that woman filled the girl with drugs, money and the promise of promotion…" Mari's eyebrow rose and the woman raised her machete. "The girl was blind, taking part of these new friends she had and this new group. She became dependent on them, on the drugs, and was willing to do anything the woman asked of her…Even if it meant destroying her own family."

"What are you getting at."

Beck furrowed his brow and slowly pulled back his gun, studying the strange woman close. Her posture was strong and commanding, anyone would be afraid to be where Mari sat at this point. There was something to the story, something eerily familiar.

"The girl never knew why the woman wanted these things done. She did them out of desperation, then out of fear. Her sanity gone, her entire world destroyed, with nothing left but the very gang she was a part of. This girl felt like she was all out of options. When the woman promised her an end to it all, a promotion to the top rank in the gang…so long as she murdered her family. So she went, she went to kill her father and end the long suffering of her little sibling."

Beck's heart stopped and his hand began to tremble. "No," he breathed, "Has to be a coincidence. That would be impossible." He shook his head slowly.

"So while this girl was in prison, she did a little bit of research." Mari breathed in slow and the woman lowered herself, growling as her face neared Mari's head. "Discovered that this woman knew her father from the past, actually worked with him. Dated, even, but he broke up with her. Left her for this girl's mother. Realizing the truth, this girl put the pieces together, realized she was fooled into destroying everything she had just so this woman could have a little revenge."

Mari sneered back at her and began moving her body, trying to free herself from the woman's grip. "What of it?" The woman's eyes narrowed at her and she started to hiss.

"The girl got stronger, learned to fight. Every day that passed, she dreamed of this moment that we have right here. Dreaming of taking back her life, and ending yours." Mari's eyes widened as the woman brought the machete down, slashing deep into her neck and clavicle. "Fucking bitch." The woman raised herself up and kicked into Mari's back, forcing her to the ground before spitting out on her.

But she wasn't finished. Seeing the rage in her eyes, Beck waited and watched as the woman flipped Mari's body over and raised the machete. Mari was still alive, her eyes filled with pain. Mari's mouth spilled blood down her face and a disturbing whirring sound filled the air.

"I hate you." The woman gripped Mari's shirt and pulled her body up, then brought the machete down a second time. The rise and fall of the weapon continued for so long, nobody could move. Beck wanted to run out to her, to tell her it was over, but every ounce of his body was frozen.

He could see tears in the woman's eyes, with every strike the anger and rage turned to grief and pain. Hearing the story, part of him knew yet he couldn't bring himself to believe it. If it was true, he didn't want to stop her from butchering Mari on the spot; in fact, he would almost have encouraged the rage.

Gritting his teeth, he pulled himself out from his hiding spot and began moving towards the woman. "Hey." His voice trembled as the woman dropped her machete and began to pummel Mari's lifeless corpse with her fist. Each blow came with a strained voice. He reached out slowly, placing a hand onto her shoulder. "Hey. It's done, she's dead. She can't hurt anyone ever again…"

The woman's blows began to slow, and for the first time, Beck heard a long cry bellow from her lips. She fell forward, burying her face into Mari's blood soaked shirt. Beck remained silent, looking over as Estela and Robbie slid out of their hiding spots.

After a minute, he looked down to the woman, slowly shaking his head. "Come on." The woman looked up, her eyes meeting with his stern gaze. "Let's get Jade away from these people." He extended a hand, waiting as she examined it with great caution. "Together."

"You know?" Beck pressed his lips firmly together, his nostrils flared out and his chest started to expand. "You would work with me?"

He had to think about it, but her skills were invaluable. "You can take back your life once Jade's free, and alive. Then, you go away."

"Understood." The woman put her hand in his. "Of course." He pulled her up, helping her to gain her footing. "I'd give my life to get her away from these people."

Estela walked up, looking down at Mari's body. "You three should go." She raised her head and looked at the boat waiting at the dock. Beck furrowed his brow at her and started to ask why she would stay behind. Seeming to know his thoughts, Estela raised her hand up. "I must remain in Mexico, to talk to my people and continue the fight. Our president was corruptible, he must step down. Your journey takes you elsewhere, Beck."

Beck nodded at her and started to smile. "Thank you for all your help." Estela hugged him, gently patting his back.

"And you. Know that wherever my sister is, she is smiling down on you." Beck chuckled softly and started to close his eyes. After a few seconds, Estela cleared her throat and stepped back. "Now don't linger any longer. Officials will be looking for you, so this is your window of opportunity."

"Right." He hurried to the boat, followed by Robbie and the other woman. In the back of his mind, he tried to think back to her name but couldn't. Still, he didn't think it was her, or at least he didn't want it to be. Then, if it was, he'd always hated her and how much she damaged Jade's life. There was a reason the woman never showed her face or revealed her name to him, and that gave credence to the theory that this was no mere coincidence.

Even still, it didn't matter in the moment. Manuel and Mari had fallen, and Mexico would be free from the grasp of the Sidero. As their boat departed, Beck looked back and watched Estela's form slowly fade away with the dock. He smiled as the sea air swelled around him.

Looking back, he saw the woman sitting at the far end of the boat, remaining silent with her gaze fixed on him. Robbie stood at the side, looking off at the ocean, his arms crossed and eyes slowly drifting to the prosthetic hand.

Knowing what they were traveling into, knowing what was going on with Andre and the fight they'd find in LA, Beck knew nothing was ever going to be the same again. He didn't know if he'd still have his friends, he didn't know what the future was going to bring; but one thing was certain, he wasn't going to stop until he knew Jade had a future.

"Things have been so hectic." Beck walked over to Robbie, gazing off as the ocean air breezed through his hair. "I guess all we have to do until LA is rest." Robbie closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh.

"There can be no rest."

Beck frowned and turned to face Robbie, who did the same. "What's on your mind? I know what's on mine."

"Yeah. I'm worried about Jade, but I also know Cat, and I'm worried about her." Robbie flicked his thumb over his shoulder, pointing at the girl seated in the back. "Seeing that, and knowing where Cat's mind must be right now is no different."

"What do you think will happen if Cat goes too far?"

"She won't stop." The corners of Robbie's lips sank so far and he closed his eyes firmly. "She's always been so full of hate, anger, revenge. Even when I could calm her, it was those quiet moments where she was away from the group that her paranoia and panic would rear its head. She could act all naïve and silly around all of us, but that's gone now…"

"You think she'll join her family once all is said and done?"

"No." Robbie started to chuckle, catching Beck off guard. "No, she hates them more than anything else." He jerked is head back, raising his eyebrows. "She hates what they did to her, what they made her. Right now, I figure the object of her wrath is the Sidero; but they're not the only one that will suffer."

"What are you saying, exactly?"

This time the woman spoke up, drawing both of their gazes. She put her hand on her leg, raising an elbow and furrowing her brow. "He's saying 'too far' means she'll start to kill off her own family, that they're in danger without knowing it." Beck's breath shallowed and he looked over to see Robbie acknowledge the woman with a nod.

"That's why I have to stop her. It's what she would want, what she's always said to me…that if she ever crosses the line, she wants me to pull her back." Robbie started to tense, his head bowing as his hair blew in the wind. "Whatever the cost."

* * *

Well, this was certainly intense. Estela will stay behind, help her country heal and rebuild now that the Sidero presence has been neutralized, but for Beck and the others it seems the stuggle is eternal. What do Robbie's cryptic words at the end mean? What will happen with the woman joining them, as Beck holds her at arms reach? What will they find in LA? It seems the group is coming back together there, but not everyone may be on the same page. No doubt Tori's making furious attempts to retain her hold in LA while trying to take down Andre, and surely by now her father's losing his own grasp on LA as Detective Malone challenges him, so what state will Beck and Robbie be stepping foot into? They leave a torn Mexico for a land that may be just as torn. Thoughts to everything?


	25. State of the Union

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 25 (State of the Union)

From the top commanding military officer to the top commanding police officer, Beck wasn't sure trading Mexico for Los Angeles would be different in any form. The minute their boat landed at port, he could see Andre standing with Sam, Freddie and Detective Malone. It was refreshing to see his old friend, and as much as he wanted to run to the guy, he knew it would be best to focus on current happenings.

Andre was quick to greet him, helping him off the boat. "God it's good to see you guys." Andre pat Robbie on the back and sucked in a quick breath of air. "How was Mexico?" He smirked as if knowing the hell that Beck had just endured. Beck let out an exasperated sigh and shook his head.

"One nightmare after another." He pat down his sleeves, then his pants. "A few times there, I wasn't sure I'd get out alive." Robbie walked past him, giving off a light scoff.

"Speak for yourself, you weren't immobilized in a sand filled prison for days on end." Andre looked to Robbie incredulously and Beck gave a low chuckle. "Have to say, it's nice to breathe LA's polluted air again." Robbie moved his hands to his waist and smirked at the pair. "Nice to feel like I'm going to have lung problems on top of everything else."

Andre chuckled softly and placed an elbow to Robbie's shoulder. "Man, it's strange seeing you without that puppet." Beck started to smile, feeling the same though he seemed to only think about Rex now after all this time. Robbie just shrugged, causing Andre to drop his arm with a sigh. "But things are different now, that's for sure. Nothing's going to be the same, I think that goes without saying."

"Yeah." Robbie looked around and took a few steps forward. "So what's been going on here? If I had to guess, I'd say you and Tori aren't on the most friendly of terms." Robbie smirked and Andre began to laugh.

"That's an understatement if I've ever heard one." Andre folded his arms across his chest and looked out to the streets. "LA is definitely not the same as when you guys left, that for sure." Beck walked next to him and watched the cars whizz by. "Detective Malone's been making a lot of arrests, there's a great civil unrest and demands that Chief Vega step down or answer Gary's accusations."

"How are the police force handling things?"

"Poorly," Gary answered, "Half the people on the force are either resigning or being arrested and charged with forms of corruption." Beck frowned as Gary made his approach. "The other half are good officers, either rising up or contemplating leaving the force because of its corruption. Then David sits at the top, still so seemingly untouchable. He isn't, but I haven't been able to go in and arrest him yet."

"Too protected?"

"Yeah. I mean he was a mafia head for so long, they'd see this coming and they would be ready." Gary rolled his head to the left, his eyes sliding towards Andre. "Then your friend here can't get close to the Vega home anymore because David's ordered him arrested."

Beck pushed his hands into his pockets and raised his shoulders with a chuckle. "Of course, Andre, you _would_ go and piss off the cops wouldn't you." Andre flashed a sheepish grin and shrugged.

"What can I say, man? I'm just a bag full of trouble and hot air." Andre paused for a moment and his eyes drooped as his expression shifted. "Jade wouldn't be able to look any of us in the eye after all this, would she?" Beck shook his head sadly and looked over to the woman that travelled with them.

"Some of us less than others, I'm afraid." He had no doubts about himself, but part of him worried that the things he had to do in order to reach her would be so over the top that Jade might even fear him. "I love her and want to be with her, but I think more important, I just want her to be okay."

"Hate to think we might all have to go our separate ways when everything is said and done." Andre pressed his lips firmly together and Beck furrowed his brow. His heart sank at the thought of losing his friends. Even Robbie seemed to bow at the question, turning away slowly.

Nobody wanted to speak, no one wanted to even acknowledge the inevitable. "Jade would hate that," he whispered, "She's always said how she needed us. She clung to her friends so much, I'm not sure what would happen if she didn't have any of us around."

"She'll have you at least, and she should." Beck smiled sadly as Andre glanced his way. "Because after all this, she's going to need that. She's going to need that support system. You know that more than anybody."

"Sure." He breathed in slow, looking to his friends somberly. In his mind he was trying to think of all the ways to keep everyone from going their separate ways, and all the ways they could make their friendships work. "I mean, you have protection, right Andre?" Andre raised an eyebrow and motioned to Sam and Freddie.

"Their families have offered protection, as have they with Gary. That's something important, especially with how heavy things have become." Andre walked forward a bit, his eyes narrowing and lips growing into a firm scowl. "I have to lay low, I can't be seen on major roads or popular hubs." He ran his hand over his neck and sighed. "When you're wanted for harming the Police Chief's daughter, they really go after you."

"Did you really do something?"

"No." He chuckled softly. "I just simply handcuffed her to her own bed." Beck's eyebrows rose and Andre flashed a toothy smirk. "I had to obtain the record book that David used to keep all those on his payroll."

Gary crossed his arms and looked off in the distance. "It doesn't help that his mafia buddies aren't going about things in a totally legitimate way." Beck closed his mouth tight and looked to Gary curiously. "I'm trying to do this legitimately, but a full out mafia war has pretty much blown up."

"Why is that?" Beck glanced to Sam and Freddie. The pair were positioned around a bench. Sam raised her shoulders as Freddie turned his gaze up to her.

"Little Miss Tori tried to have a team sent to my house." Sam rolled her head to the right and her eyebrows closed in together. "Wanted to send a message, probably because I was friendly with Andre. Even still…" She extended her arm, moving her hand in a sweeping motion. "Attacking the daughter of a mob boss is a declaration of war. Inactive or not."

"How did you get out of that?"

"My father likes to have people stationed around me at all times." Her eyes rolled and she shot a glare at Freddie. "So does my fiancé." Freddie ran a hand slowly over his neck, chuckling nervously as her hands dropped to her sides. "I didn't know until a year or so ago, but it's happened all my life-people would be hiding out somewhere…" She closed her eyes and exhaled. "Whether it's the random person at the park peering over his newspaper, or the guy running the smoothie shop-"

Beck opened his mouth, taking a breath as he recalled the smoothie shop from the girl's various stories. "The T-bone guy?"

"T-Bo." The corners of her lips sank back into her cheeks and her eyes reflected the gaze of the sun as she moved her head. "He was one of my family's people. Somehow, I never noticed that I was being watched, but I always felt something off. Either way, some of Tori's associates came to my apartment while I was sleeping. I woke up to the sound of gunfire, saw them being gunned down by my father's people."

"Yep." Freddie pushed his hands between his knees, rubbing them together vigorously. "And because she's part of my family too, the Bensons have gotten involved. Without realizing fully, Tori instigated a full on Mob war with two Italian Mafia Families. Ironically, we don't have a vested interest in the takeover of Los Angeles."

Gary, looking grim, poked a thumb to his chest. "I made sure of that. I'm not willing to trade my city from one mafia family to another, even if they are on our side. Too much corruption." He narrowed his eyes and Beck shot him a look of pride. He was thrilled to see such an honorable man in him, especially in times like these. "I'm certainly not happy about their activity here. People are dying."

"How bad has it gotten?" Robbie inquired. "How bad is this mafia war going on?"

"Police and paramedics are constantly being dispatched because either somebody's been 'hit', or some bomb's gone off at some business. It's become a hellhole where even the gangs are lying low."

"The gangs?"

"Yes. Once these three families started going at it, the city gangs retreated to whatever holes they come from."

Freddie chuckled softly. "No one wants to get stuck in the middle of a three-way mob war." Gary started to walk to the car nearby, groaning above the howling wind.

"Of course, the police don't want to either, but they have to. I have to keep them on top of things, there are still a lot of good men and women on the force." Gary raised a hand to his face, mumbling into his hand. "I am responsible for David. I, the police force, can't rest until he's taken out."

"What about Trina?" Beck's brow furrowed as the others looked his way. "She's the head, isn't she? Where's she stand in all of this?" Sam spoke up, drawing everyone's attention to her.

"My family's sources say she's asked David to take over again, especially in these tenser times. She doesn't feel Tori is ready to handle a full on war, especially since she's made so many mistakes at this point. So, David's gone back to being in charge of LA for a while. Things clearly aren't pretty."

They piled into Gary's vehicle and began driving down the street. As Beck looked around, he didn't see much that would indicate violence in the streets; but he did see the expressions on those they passed. Terror, anger, and so much pain. The people looked almost identical to those in Mexico, and even those in Cuba. "Funny," he said with a low exhale, "We liberated Mexico and even Cuba-I got lucky there-and now we're having to liberate Los Angeles from the Sidero."

"It's not just Los Angeles," Andre replied, "It's everywhere. In David's career, he's made friends and connections that stretch throughout all of California and bordering states. Detective Malone here has had to contact police departments in other areas for help, slowly bringing down these powerful connections…"

Gary's eyes peered back from the rearview mirror, his thumb bounced on the steering wheel and he grumbled angrily. "They've got seeds in place. We have to cut off the head of this snake, otherwise simply arresting David and his youngest daughter won't keep them from taking over the fifty states."

"And another thing we found out recently." Andre hung his elbow out the window and twisted his body towards Beck, seated behind him. "Remember Raul and his wife Ramona? Eldest of David's younger siblings…we thought he was hiding out in Madrid, but he isn't."

Beck leaned his head back. "Where's he at?" Andre turned away, his voice growing deeper and slightly agitated.

"D.C." Beck's heart stopped and his fingertips started to tremble. "He's been smoozing over politicians everywhere. He's been putting Senators in the seats of congress, and he's got a man poised to run at the next Presidential election." His throat constricted and he raised a hand over his mouth, realizing the gravity of the situation. "While we've been distracted here in Los Angeles by one simple police chief and his daughter, Trina's had her uncle continue his plans for the US."

"Did you find that out through Sam and Freddie?" Beck's voice trembled as he watched the couple shake their heads. Gary slowed up to a stoplight and turned partially, meeting Beck's gaze.

"I found that out," Gary replied, "Through my own connections. I have friends in the military, friends in the various departments out there like defense, justice, and I've got connections to the FBI and the CIA. People I've befriended throughout the years of my career…they got a lock on the Sidero clan through me, found out about Raul, and discovered some of his various business dealings."

Then it was a bit of good news that Beck was hearing, Gary had legitimate connections in the US Government who were now aware of the growing threat the Sidero family posed to the world.

"Unfortunately, they're still simply investigating him. No arrest has been made yet; but it's going to happen. One way or another, they will be stopped." The light turned green and Gary started up the car. He smirked for a moment, glancing in the rearview at Beck. "You know Beck, I like what I keep seeing in you. You should consider a career in criminal justice. Get a start in the police department, move up to FBI or better…" Beck's heart swelled with intrigue and his face turned red.

"Maybe…You think they'd take me? I mean, all the stuff that's been going on."

"I would hire you into the force. Help pay for your college and whatnot."

Beck smiled widely and started to puff out his chest a bit. He visualized himself in uniform, standing in the ranks of those most loyal to the code to protect. "I'd probably take you up on a job offer." Surely if he worked alongside Gary, he would know no corruption. "But that's a topic for another day, I think."

"Yes. It is." Gary chuckled. "Hell, you could probably go into counterterrorism, the way you've been operating." Beck gasped, his ever-widening grin still growing.

They pulled alongside a cemetery and Beck turned his attention to the front gates. "Thought we might want to make a stop here," Andre said while turning to Robbie, "Pay some respect to those lost." Robbie frowned, his eyes dropping downwards. "Your family's here, Rob. I know they're happy you made it out." Robbie let out a small scoff and shut his eyes.

"Sure," he breathed out, "Sometimes I'm not even sure why I made it." Gary drove through the open gates. Everyone held their breath a bit, thinking of those buried in these graves. For Beck, it was more than just Robbie and his family, more than any of them. He could see fresh graves everywhere, and for every grave they passed, more and more the gravity of the situation sunk in for him.

It was grim, and he owed it to everyone that lost their lives to bring justice to them and their families.

Elsewhere, in Madrid, Jade stood on the expansive pool deck with a pair of hedge trimmers. She watched Trina and Jason embracing in the pool, laughing together as they enjoyed the crystal clear waters. With a smile, she trimmed the top of the hedges that lined the deck's perimeter fence.

She was thankful that Trina allowed her to be out of the room, albeit with supervision. She wasn't going to run though, she didn't have anywhere to go. Trina wanted her to be comfortable, telling her that a pregnant woman must be comfortable and not stressed. Still, she wanted to do more, so she would oftentimes cook meals with Trina, or do some gardening.

The moment they were in currently, Jason would be leaving for the states soon. He needed to collect his uncle's things. Jade knew Trina was sad to see him go, and a bit concerned. The woman had kept him close and in Madrid for the same reason she was holding Jade there, she didn't want anything bad to happen to him.

There was something more though, a bit of news that brought a pleasant smile to her face. Trina had become pregnant again, when she didn't think it was possible to have a baby. The first pregnancy in of itself was something of a miracle.

"Maybe things will be okay," Jade whispered under her breath while watching Trina kiss her fiancé. She wondered if she couldn't convince Trina to give up her way of life, if it wasn't too much. It might be difficult to do so with the woman, but if she could convince her to give one of her cousins her spot and walk away, she could have a life with her soon-to-be husband and her new baby. In fact, her cousin Monique, daughter of Raul and Ramona, was the same age as Tori but a bit more well-rounded and less impulsive. Perhaps Trina could give her the spot, or talk her dad into returning as head.

Perhaps it was an impossible task; but Jade had to try. She could only imagine what impossible tasks her friends were up to, and if they could achieve theirs, she could certainly achieve hers.

* * *

So you see why the chapter title is named such, the Sidero is already making movements towards obtaining the States and corrupting the three branches of government. So our heroes now have the seemingly impossible task of saving the US itself, which they've already been tasked with, but it's more intense than they initially thought it would be. What are your thoughts on the state that LA is in, and even the country? Also, at the end, Jade seeks a different task, one that may be far too difficult. We'll see how that goes...


	26. Growing Threats

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 26 (Growing Threats)

"Honestly, I'm surprised you would ally with her." Andre and Gary sat across from Beck at Gary's table, they pointed to the girl leaning cross-armed against a nearby wall. Beck's lips pressed firmly against each other and he breathed in slowly through his nostrils. "Tiffany, right?"

"Yeah," he exhaled softly, "That's her. It's only for a moment, she truly wants to save Jade and feels particularly responsible for her." Gary folded his right hand over his left, patting it twice before bowing down his head.

"I know you know the story, Jade would have confided it into you, but-"

"That's why I was hesitant, why she didn't reveal herself to me at first." He couldn't explain what it was, if Tiffany had some sort of urge for retribution or wanted to seek out Jade's forgiveness; or perhaps she just simply wanted to see her sister alive. "I know Jade hates her, and she knows it well too I'm sure; but she's expressed that what she did to her was more than just wrong. She was mislead and deceived-"

"Deceived or not, drugged or not, she still made the choice to damage her family." Andre snapped his fingers and started to rise a bit out of his seat. Beck acknowledged this, he knew Tiffany was in no way admonished for her sins. "She murdered her own mother, brought Jade close to death who _knows_ how many times, and nearly killed her dad."

Someone cleared their throat and Beck turned to see Tiffany pushing herself off the wall. Her eyes were narrow, but revealing an ancient pain. "Talk about me like I'm not standing right here," she said roughly, "If you've something to say to me, say it to my face."

Beck silenced himself, tensing up as the girl marched over to the table. She leaned over it, slamming her palms down on the surface. She appeared larger than all of them, towering so high above. "I know what my crimes were. I don't expect any sort of forgiveness or atonement for my deeds. The last time I spoke to my father, I was in prison, and I don't expect he or Jade want anything more to do with me. I'm not going to pretend like they're just going to sweep me back into their arms, I'm no idiot."

She snarled at them, the pain in her eyes replaced with anger. "I hurt Jade far more than any child should ever be, all for drugs and false dreams of wealth and status." Tiffany's hands started to shake, her fingers curling slowly beneath her palms. "Mari wasn't going to let up until they were dead, and I hesitated." She growled. "That one moment of hesitation let my father strike me over the head with some object, let me get arrested, caused Mari to shun me like I didn't exist. I lost everything, but do I care? No." She raised her arm, pointing outwards. Her voice bellowed with great force and shook them like that of an earthquake. "And once more Jade's victim to Mari's family? I won't rest until she's out of their fucking hands. I won't let them hurt my sister anymore."

Tiffany moved her hand to her chest. "When I was the cause of every pain, every nightmare, every moment of grief that girl had…I didn't think about it until I was put in prison. Every time she cried, I forced myself to turn away. I forced myself to ignore it; but when I was in prison I had nothing to help me force it out." Beck looked down, his eyes growing heavy and his heart began to sink. "I remembered every terrorized look on her face, and even the final look on my dad's face before he hit me over the head."

"What look was that?" Beck asked.

"Hate. Anger. Grief." She removed her hood for the first time, revealing her short black hair feathering out at her jawline. She closed her eyes and Beck saw the scars etched all along her face. Scars either from drugs or from fights that she got into over the years, each one bearing a story of its own. "I was no longer his daughter, he didn't have to say it for me to know it. He was protecting the one daughter he had…I'd never seen his expression so fierce, like a lion getting ready to take out his prey. I was nothing, I _am_ nothing."

"Wow." He shook his head slowly, remembering every time he was around Mr. West. The man never spoke of his wife or his eldest child, and as distant as he seemed to be, he always seemed to be eyeballing him and Jade with a great sense of protectiveness. Beck supposed he never quite understood it, but now it all seemed so clear. "You talked to him in prison, right? That's how you found out about Mari and who she was?"

"I cannot tell you how that felt." Tiffany stood upright, her knuckles turning white and her lips pulling back into a grimace. Beck could see her cracked and chipped teeth, and for the first time he noticed the bags under her eyes. "Being told that the person who manipulated me for so long once dated my father and everything I had done was because she herself wanted revenge on him. Of course, she used his daughter to do it all…I hated her, I wanted nothing but revenge on her, to see her suffer-to make her realize all the pain and suffering she caused my family."

"Did you ever apologize for your actions?"

"My father wouldn't hear of it." She scoffed. "I was dead to him. Disowned. I know he said if I ever got out, that I was to stay as far away from him and from Jade as humanly possible." She rolled her eyes and shot him a powerful glare. "How exactly do you _apologize_ for all of that, Beckett? 'I'm sorry I killed mom and caused my little sister more pain and misery than she'll ever feel in her life and possibly never get over'." Beck frowned, turning away as he realized the stupidity of his statement. "An older sister _protects_ her younger siblings. She takes care of the little ones, not damage them irreparably for the rest of their life."

"That is true."

"As I agreed-" She turned to him and leaned forward a bit, her hand landed on his shoulder, causing him to flinch. "Once we've gotten her out, I will fade away. I won't make any attempts to talk to her, I won't make any attempts to talk to my father-who would more than likely call the detective over here if I stepped within the vicinity of him." She rolled her eyes and Gary acknowledged the statement with a brisk nod. "I will leave. Jade will never have to see me again, lest she relieve every painful moment again. _However_ …"

"Why did I feel a 'but' coming on?" He sighed and glanced down, but the moment he did that, Tiffany swept a hand under his chin and lifted his head upwards to return his gaze to hers. "Yes?"

"If you ever let anything happen to her again." She started to hiss, Beck's eyes grew wide as a new fear spread through his body. "If you ever harm her in any way, shape or form…" She growled lowly, a new fire starting in her eyes. " _You_ will see me again, and I will be your enemy, not your friend."

She did not have to clarify what was meant with those words. While not a clear, direct threat, he knew best that he didn't want to be on the receiving end of her rage. "I would never do anything to hurt her."

"Like dumping her cause you couldn't deal with her jealousy?" He frowned as she pulled her hand away from his chin and scoffed. "Which, by the way, was just her gut telling her something wasn't right with this Tori chick…who just so happens to be your enemy right now, is she not?"

"Y-Yeah."

"And now, because you allowed this person into your circle, Jade has been abducted and betrayed by the very person meant to be a friend." He grimaced and Andre stood up, raising his voice a bit.

"Hey now, that's not fair." Tiffany turned her head to Andre, raising an eyebrow at him. The man flinched in response to the woman's half-lidded gaze and started to stammer. "I mean, don't you think he feels responsible already? It wasn't his fault, he didn't know. None of us knew."

"She's right man." Beck leaned back in the chair, slowly shaking his head. His voice trembled as every breath fell away from his lips with swiftness. "No, she's right. I should have listened when Jade said she didn't like Tori." Jade had her ways of telling when someone wasn't right. In this case it was harder to discern because Beck just assumed she was being jealous; but she didn't act the same way with Tori that she did around women she was genuinely jealous of. "What she's been through, she has a way of reading people. She always told me something didn't feel right about Tori, that she didn't trust her, something was off."

"Yeah but man, she thought Tori was going to steal you."

"And she tried to, didn't she?" He raised his head to Andre, remembering how Tori was so soon after Jade had been kidnapped. "But that's beside the point. What really matters is that when Jade felt jealous, she would get between me and that girl no matter what. She didn't do that as much with Tori."

"No…"

"Instead, she just let the interactions happen, let her join us and hang out. Of course she didn't like Tori, always insulting her and treating her like shit, but she would tell me things that she didn't feel comfortable with…she was trying to tell me something wasn't right, and I didn't pick up on it. So I am responsible. This is my fault, one way or another."

"You can't go back," Gary said calmly. His quiet tone resonated with Beck, drawing his gaze. "You can't change the past, there's no sense in it. Same for you, Miss West." Tiffany frowned at him and her eyes darted away. "Maybe you can't atone, or feel like you can't; but let the past be where the past belongs."

Beck shifted uncomfortably and watched as both Andre and Tiffany sat down at the table. They looked somewhat like scolded children, taking a lesson from their teacher in humility.

Gary reached out for his coffee mug, his fingers gently caressing the handle. "You can shape the future by focusing on the present moment. Right now, what is present are the threats all around us…" He lifted the mug to his lips, taking a prolonged sip. Beck felt his heartbeat increasing in speed as he remembered the current situation. Gary soon lowered the mug and looked Beck in the eyes, captivating him in the moment.

"Jade is in danger, Miss Valentine is becoming a threat of her own, though I'm not sure how much based on Robbie's words alone, the Sidero family is poised to take over this entire country." The detective set his mug back on the table, crossed his arms and his eyes moved gently between the trio. "Do you think we have time in the present to argue over the past? Do you think David, Tori, Katrina, or any of those we're fighting against _care_ about our past actions?"

Raising his gaze up, Beck started to shake his head. Andre and Tiffany exchanged glances, with Andre pouting a bit and Tiffany's sternness appearing to fade. The detective cleared his throat gently and shook his head.

"The world moves forward, our enemies press onward, and the longer we linger and focus on what we've done that we cannot change, the stronger they become. In the present, you must stay vigilant, because the moment you let your guard down, the enemy wins."

Beck opened his mouth to speak, agreeing with Gary wholeheartedly; but Robbie came bursting into the room before anyone could react. "We have a problem," Robbie announced, "We have to get to the retirement center now!"

With that, they were gone. The urgency in Robbie's voice bade them to forget about their conversation for the moment. When they arrived, they saw Nona Valentine being lifted onto a stretcher by the paramedics.

Officers stood around the scene, which was undisturbed. Beck approached the body and furrowed his brow as he studied her. Her lips were blue and puffy. Robbie stepped alongside him, his entire body trembling.

"What happened here?" He heard Gary ask another officer. The officer responded with a grim tone.

"It looks like poisoning."

"Cat was here, Beck." Robbie raised a hand over his mouth and closed his eyes. "She poisoned her grandmother." Beck wasn't so sure, especially with the things that Sam and Freddie's people were saying about the carnage she was causing. In both Russia and Ireland, the carnage was far more devastating than simple poison.

"From what everyone says, I would expect a lot more blood coming from Cat."

"Yeah, but this is her family. Her grandmother's not defenseless or weak, but still there's more to it…This was passionate." Robbie extended a small sheet of paper to him. "Found this on the nightstand beside Nona's recliner." Beck looked to the nightstand and frowned at the full cup of coffee. Beside it was a small vial of some substance he didn't recognize.

Beck opened the note, instantly recognizing Cat's handwriting. "Grandma, I am sorry that things have to be this way." His heart sank slowly and his hand trembled over the lower half of his face. "But you're the head of this family, you are the reason this family is the way it is. Or, your parents were, maybe even theirs; but you must pay for a life of criminality. For what I've become. I will make them burn, every last one of them; but for you, it will only be this final drink that you will taste. My gift to you is death."

Gary walked over and grabbed the note from Beck. "I'll be taking that for evidence, Mr. Oliver." The man's eyes drifted to the note and a husky breath escaped his lips. "Shit."

A wave of nausea came over Beck and he stumbled to the side a bit, overcome with grief. He got it now, what Gary had been saying before, there was no time to worry about the things he could not change when the present was getting so out of control.

Cat was now active in LA, and there was no way of knowing whose side she might benefit, or if she was on her own side now. Any attempt to confront or contact her may end poorly. "Think she'll stop?" He asked while turning to Tiffany, the only person he could think might have a close guess to how deep the desire for vengeance would be.

Tiffany pressed her lips firmly together and slowly shook her head. "No, unfortunately." He closed his eyes and placed a hand over his stomach. "She's hunting now. She has a mission, and most likely is going to see it through…damn whoever gets in her way…"

* * *

So what are your thoughts on everything here? I'm proudest of Gary's speech, though, I like picturing him as sort of that wise and experienced older character that serves as a guide of sorts. So, Cat's probably already crossed that line, who knows how that's going to end, but now the group has to go after her in addition to the Sidero family while her own family is unaware of the danger they're in. Seems we've found more out about the emotions of Jade's sister, whose identity has been confirmed. Beck's hesitant, but at least he's made clear that she is to go away at the end of it all.


	27. Divide and Conquer

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 27 (Divide and Conquer)

It was a big day in LA, and Beck was feeling a mix of excitement and anxiety. They were going to try to take out thee Sidero influence in Los Angeles. It wasn't going to be easy, but Gary had a plan.

Gathered around the table, everyone listened as Gary spoke. Beck had one eye on the nearby television, though, where the news was showing some footage of David. "We have plenty of his associates arrested," Gary began, "A number of corrupt policemen either removed or arrested, and some local politicians disavowed." One of those very politicians was the mayor himself, who had put David into the position he was in. The level of corruption being that high cast a huge amount of doubt on how clean the police chief was.

The one thing Beck found ironic was the proposed replacement to the mayor was on of Gary's closest friends, and they had their eye on Gary to replace David due to the amount of work he was doing cleaning up the city. The people trusted Detective Malone, and very quickly he was rising in their eyes as the city's savior. Even Beck hoped he'd take such a position if he was offered; but he hadn't a chance to ask Gary's thoughts nor did he think Gary was considering it at this point.

"No doubt David will be under constant, heavy guard." Gary crossed his arms and turned his attention to the television, his eyes narrowing. "We have to make an arrest, but we have to get it when he won't be anticipating it."

"He'll anticipate it if he's at home," Beck replied. He knew all too well from his own experiences that the mafia members kept their homes under guard when they were present. Simply not seeing them was one thing to count on. "No doubt if we try to arrest him at his house, his people will be expecting us." Andre scoffed, running his hand slowly through his hair.

"I got in their house pretty easily that one time." Andre smirked as Beck turned his attention to him. After a minute, the smirk faded and the man's shoulders rose. "Granted, Tori operates a little bit differently. She probably doesn't feel like having those people around."

"Doubtful," Sam muttered. "You probably got very lucky." Remember what Sam told them before regarding her own experiences, he had to agree. There was no doubt in his mind that David, or even Trina, would keep Tori under heavy guard whether she wanted them to or not.

Andre turned to her, his eyebrows rising up. "But I-"

"Lightning does not strike the same place twice. I doubt very highly you could try breaking and entering that house again without coming under fire."

"Especially with how hard she's going after you now," Freddie replied while pointing out to Andre. The man started muttering and looked down at the table with a growl.

"There's also the issue of my grandmother. She's still out there." Andre tilted back his head and raised a hand to his neck, letting out a heavy sigh. "Cat too. Maybe we should divide our targets up." Beck nodded slowly, he'd been thinking the same. Cat, Tori, David, and even Andre's grandmother all had to be stopped or taken out somehow. "Grandma would expect me, probably gun me down on the spot."

"We'll handle her," Freddie remarked. Andre opened his eyes wide and turned to Freddie and Sam with a bewildered expression. "Think about it, she's been with the mob her entire life, so she's probably a lot more experienced and will have a lot more guns handy. Your army of gangs wasn't enough to stand up to her, remember?"

Andre bowed his head and slouched. "She took us by surprise." He pushed his hands into his pocket and started grumbling. "I mean hell, none of us expected her."

"Yeah, I know, but let us take her on. Our families combined will have the real numbers ready to go toe to toe with her." Andre studied the couple, as though contemplating their offer. It wasn't bad at all in Beck's eyes, he could see the benefit of someone the target didn't expect going in.

"I agree with them." Andre glanced at Beck. Gary raised his eyebrows as Beck stepped forward and reached for the elder woman's file. "After all, despite the mob war going on right now, she would probably not expect to see both the Puckett and Benson families gunning for her. The protection she has would not be enough for the full force of two powerful mob families coming down on her."

Andre turned up the corner of his mouth and let out a small chuckle. "I almost wish I could see the look on her face, you know."

"Right, but like you said, she'd probably gun you down the second she saw you…" Beck frowned and watched his friend cringe. "Sorry man." Andre waved his hand in the air.

"It's alright." The man breathed in and looked upwards. "Still fucking hurts, but it's okay. Things change, man. Things change." He crossed his arms and looked down to the other files they had available. "So, any other bright ideas?" Robbie looked to Tiffany and raised his hand.

"I'm still following Cat's trail. Tiffany and I are going to try and get her." He lowered his hand, firmly grasping the edge of the chair in front of him. "We've located the hotel that her family is staying at, and we know she's after them; but we also think she's after other targets first."

"Such as?"

"Jason Tyler is in town, collecting things from his uncle's home." Beck raised an eyebrow and Robbie started to sigh. "It's more than likely Cat will try to take him out. As for him, we're contemplating whether or not to let her."

"Why not?"

"Because that is Trina's fiancé, taking him out now would probably get her fired up."

Beck curled a hand under his chin and narrowed his eyes. It wasn't easy, and he knew it wasn't his place to determine the man's fate. Letting Cat take him out might actually shift Trina's focus away from them, however, especially if she knew Cat wasn't acting with them. On the other hand, it wasn't easy to predict what sort of reaction there would be. "What about her family, Robbie? Are you willing to sacrifice them so handily?"

"I would rather not sacrifice anyone."

Gary pulled his hands behind his back and raised his head upwards a bit, appearing much taller than normal. "I would prefer we not let anyone die if we could avoid it, it would be better to allow for the full justice of the law."

Tiffany narrowed her eyes and grunted in response. "That's easier said than done. What can you do if they're already shooting at you, huh Detective?" Gary closed his eyes and exhaled slowly.

"Sometimes there is no choice. Sometimes you must do what is necessary, what is a benefit for the greater good. I won't condone outright murder, but I also won't disavow actions taken in a situation where there is no better choice."

"Huh. Then we will _try_ to bring her in if she can be saved along with anyone else."

"I would appreciate the effort." Gary flashed a smirk and shrugged. Beck glanced down at the files and crossed his arms.

"Andre, I think you ought to approach Mr. Vega." Andre froze, looking somewhat like a deer caught in the headlights. "Go after him with Gary during this next speech of his to the people. You're already 'wanted', so you'd be a distraction." He watched the grin slowly growing on his friend's face and could see the idea he had dawning on Andre.

"Luring the people away from him." Andre laughed, clapping his hands together. "Yeah, I can see that. Luring his guards, and whatever corrupt police on his side away so Gary can move in with his men and make the arrest!"

"Yeah."

Gary nodded, seeming to approve. "David doesn't have many cops left on his side anymore. We've taken out the majority, and the good ones are on my side." He pointed to his chest and then turned to Beck. "What of you, Beck? Where will you focus your attention?" Beck approached the table, stroking his chin slowly while glaring down at the folders.

Slowly he motioned his hand towards Tori's folder. "Her." The others raised their eyebrows and he started to growl. "She's been after me, right? Whatever fucked up plans she's got, if I went there she would probably tell any guards around her to stand down and focus her attention on me." If he was right, he could get in without much problem. She would likely want to deal with him herself, and chances were she didn't want to outright kill him as she did Andre. "If I can keep her preoccupied just long enough, we can catch her. She won't expect it, I'm sure."

Gary hummed softly, giving a subtle nod in his direction. "Just be careful. There's no doubt she knows as well as her sister does that you're behind the fall of their other relatives."

"That's okay." He crossed his arms, a new confidence burning within him. "I'll give her an offer she just can't pass up. Take her out of her territory, keep her defenses low. If she still wants to be the Delilah that Andre first proclaimed her to be…" Andre laughed once and Robbie raised an eyebrow. "Then she might still attempt that."

He suspected the end goal was to capture him. For the most part, the other Sidero family members seemed only to want to kill him _after_ he'd pissed them off badly enough. Robbie had even suggested it before, that it seemed they wanted to use Beck for something. If anything, they may wish to present him to Jade, and not in any sort of positive manner.

"They want to put me in some sort of trap, so why not give Tori the chance?"

"Think she'll take the bait?" Robbie inquired. Beck shrugged, uncertain as anyone else but still confident in his plans.

"It's better than nothing, and we do have to take her down one way or another." He was aware he'd gotten lucky a few times before, but this time he had the backup to show more luck than skill. Nabbing Tori and her father was only half the battle, they were going to need them in order to find out where Jade was. "Once we have them, we have to get them to talk. I'm sure that won't be easy but we have to find a way. They know where Jade's at, they'll lead us there."

"Good." Gary crossed his arms and furrowed his brow intensely. "We'll strike our targets at the same time, during David's little speech." It was a speech he hoped would win over those in LA, hoping to smooth things over; but things would be opposite for him. No, the plan was to strip him of all power with all eyes watching. "I will have my men ready and waiting for each of you. If needed. If it is possible to make an arrest, let them. If not…" Gary pinched the bridge of his nose, his shoulders rose and his chest expanded outward. "If not…so be it."

* * *

Well they've got their plans, they've got their targets, let's see how this goes. Of course, nothing could be easy, but we will see how this ends up. Stay tuned, and do tell your thoughts


	28. Unexpected Aid

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N: Ah, to the guest review, I wish you had an account so I could answer your question one on one, but it works out for all readers. Is Cat a bad guy? To understand good versus bad, you must realize that there is a very thin line that everyone walks. You, me, the person next door, and you see that here. Nobody in life is inherently good, bad, evil, pure, there are only good deeds and bad deeds. Psychology plays a huge role in our lives, and would be the answer to your question.

For this story, Trina may be on the unlawful side of crime but she portrays good deeds by sparing Jade's life and trying to keep her and her unborn child safe and comfortable. Now for Cat, you see she was victimized most her life, pushed to the brink by her family and the Sidero family. She now treads that very thin line, filled with hate. While knowing the differences between right and wrong, she chooses to commit murder by taking out her own family members. Cat, right now, is not acting on anybody's side but her own for the sake of revenge. Is she good or bad? I would say she's not bad, but has stepped onto the criminal side and so she must be stopped.

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Chapter 28 (Unexpected Aid)

As with every plan, there were some details that could be tweaked such as the timing. They didn't want to give their targets too much time to figure out what was going on and try to alert anyone; but they also needed to give enough time for one of their own to finish their task and provide help to another. So it had been decided who would strike first, and be given a small window of time to get out and head to the next position.

For Sam and Freddie, this wasn't as crucial because their associates could be placed anywhere and everywhere. Though she abhorred being involved in mob violence, Sam led the charge against Grandma Jasmine; it would be one of her final acts before leaving with Freddie to pursue a quieter life elsewhere. They had even convinced their families to let them be once all was said and done, and both family units had agreed to leaving California as per Gary's wishes. After all, they saw his determination to end the Sidero clan as enough reason not to toy with him.

Crouching beside a tree, Sam looked back at her associates and motioned for them to move forward. They moved to positions around Jasmine's mansion, quietly taking out any stray guards walking the grounds.

"Any deviation could result in failure…" She exhaled softly and looked up the building. Prior scouts had informed her of the Jasmine's last known location. Her eyes travelled from the balcony towards a rooftop across from it, where one scout had set up with a sniper rifle. "Okay. She was napping in the upper floor room. Got a handful of guards inside the building-"

Out of the corner of her eye she saw something strange that gave her pause. Catching her breath, she watched as a woman with long black hair strode across the front lawn. Her eyebrows rose while one of her associates took aim. Quickly, she raised a hand, feeling this may just be an innocent bystander walking by.

The woman stopped at the mailbox and looked in Sam's general direction. Sam studied her face, noting some scarring likely from burns that ran down her arms and along her neck. She had deep chocolate eyes and jet black hair that flowed out past her dark skin. The woman's eyes started to narrow and she turned her head to the home, glaring it down before making her way around the corner.

"Who in the hell is that?" Someone's voice sounded from the radio. Sam grabbed it from her belt and raised it towards her lips.

"Stand down. Whoever that is, we don't know if she's a threat. No innocents." She waited several seconds before speaking again. "Freddie. Freddie, are you in yet?" He was stationed not far from the location, his task was to hack into the security system. The woman had cameras installed, so he'd be able to tell them where to go.

"I'm in," he answered. "She doesn't have as many cameras in the place as I thought, but she has enough. If you're looking for stealth, that may not be possible." She understood, they had too many people for pure stealth. This was going to be a climb. "Jasmine is still on the uppermost floor, and-wait." She heard him gasp and looked around the area to see if he saw anything strange. "Someone just waltzed right into the back door. Sam, did any-"

"No, there's a strange woman on the premises. I don't recognize her at all, but I assumed she wondered off."

"Let me see. Was she tall, African American, light burn scars on her body?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Because she just ran across the camera screen." Her heart skipped a note and she watched her associates' eyes grow large with confusion. Sam rushed up to the house, crouching beside a window and carefully peering inside to see if she could spot this stranger. Sure enough, the woman was hiding behind a couch with a semi-automatic shotgun in her hand.

"Oh shit." The woman rose up, swung the shotgun over the couch and aimed across the room. Sam travelled the aim carefully to see a guard sitting down at a small card table with his back turned. Without hesitation, the gun went off and a bullet dug into the back of the man's skull.

Sam's heart shot out of her chest and she flew away from the window, pressing back against the house. She heard cries of alarm coming from all areas, the guards inside and those outside were trying to figure out who just shot a gun.

She moved back to the window to check inside, in time to see the woman toss a grenade into the next room. Thinking fast, she flew to the next window and watched the grenade slide between the legs of two guards. They had mere seconds to acknowledge it before it exploded.

"We're on, damn it." She raised the radio to her lips and ordered all associates to start moving. Spotting two of the enemy guards rushing towards her, she ducked into some nearby hedges and waited as one of her men took them out.

Gunfire ripped out with thunderous explosion. With adrenaline flooding her veins, Sam jumped out of the hedges and called out to several associates. "I need backup, start heading inside." She threw back her hair and yanked open the front door with an annoyed grunt. "Whoever the fuck this woman is, I'm about to kick her ass."

Several guards followed her inside, shooting wildly into the home. Sam dove behind the couch, pulled the gun from her hip and rose up to take aim. Much as she didn't want to take any shots, she didn't see having much choice. "Careful, Sam." She heard Freddie's voice over the radio and rolled her eyes, though she couldn't help but to smile at his protective demeanor.

Seeing a clear path to the stairwell in the next room, she tucked the gun at her side and made a run for it. Several of her guards followed behind her, some looking down the stairs while others looked up.

A shadow on the wall in front of them began growing, indicating someone coming down, so Sam flattened herself against the wall and instructed her associates to do the same. When two guards walked around the corner, they stopped and stared down at the group. It took them a few minutes to register what was happening before they started to take aim. "Fire!" Sam cried out. The two guards jerked with the onslaught of bullets, their blood splashing out and painting the wall red.

Sam poked her head around the corner wall and waited to ensure it was clear. Satisfied that no one else was coming down, she took her approach. Moving forward through the second floor was much the same as the first, with the associates on both sides taking heavy fire. Some of the enemy guards were already dead when they arrived.

It wasn't hard to see the enemy was confused, trying to find one person while being attacked by another group. This made things a slight bit easier on them, so she didn't complain as much.

As they made their way to the next floor, Sam had some men stay on the floor as they were with the first floor, just in case Jasmine was going to call for any further associates. The woman likely awoke by now, Sam was certain of this.

In order to close off any exits, she had a few men posted at any exit routes her scouts located prior to. This would cut off any attempts on Jasmine's part of escape. Now ploughing through the sheer force of guards in the place was another thing, even before all of this Sam had not expected such a number of people stationed there.

She could hear explosions and gunfire above her, suggesting the woman she saw earlier was a great deal ahead. Rather than worry too much about it, she moved a bit slower just to take advantage of the other woman's work.

It wasn't long before she made it to the top floor, and here all noises appeared to cease. There were bodies strewn about, blood soaked the floor and colored the walls. Whomever this woman was, clearly Jasmine has earned her wrath.

Spotting an open door at the end of the hall, Sam made her way with three associates following her. She raised a finger to her lips and stopped at the doorway, listening once she heard the voices coming from within.

"I've looked for you for a decade, and you've been hiding in plain sight all this time?" Sam leaned forward, gaining a better view. The woman had Jasmine on her knees, facing the balcony, and was pacing behind her. There was a sneer on the woman's face, and her entire body was soaked with blood. "The things I went through to find your fat ass."

"If I had known you survived," Jasmine began, "I would have-"

"What, tried to reconcile?" The woman scoffed while Jasmine let out a shrill cackle.

"No dear, I would have hunted you down with every bit of strength I had and finished the job!"

"Rot in hell." The woman aimed at the back of Jasmine's head and pulled back on the hammer. Just as she went to pull the trigger, Jasmine leaned sideways, taking a graze that toppled her to the ground. "Damn it." The woman growled as Jasmine rolled onto her back.

"I wasn't expecting you, darling." Blood dripped down the elder's face as she reached beneath her bed. Before the woman could react, Jasmine flicked her hand out from under the bed and chucked a blade into her enemy's thigh.

"Should we go in?" Asked one of Sam's associates. She shook her head and held onto her breath. The last thing she wanted was to interrupt this moment, but at the same time she did want to give aid to this stranger. As the old adage went, any enemy of the enemy was a friend.

The stranger yanked the blade out of her body with a roar and tossed it across the room. "Everything you've done, you'll pay for." She grabbed Jasmine and yanked her upright, then with a powerful roar, she charged for the glass doors leading out to the balcony. With one foul swoop, she forced the elder's body in front of her, slamming her through the doors and forcing her towards the rails outside.

"Think about this!" Jasmine gripped the woman's wrists and cried out as she was pressed against the rails. She was sweating now, and chuckling nervously while glancing from the woman's glare to the ground below. "Is this really what you want? Surely we can talk this out, dear."

"This is all I've wanted. To bring you to justice, make you pay for what you've done to me and to my family." The woman leaned dangerously close, her ferocious eyes locking in with the old woman's newly feeble stare. "To think I had to follow a mafia family in order to make you face justice at my hands…mother…"

Jasmine screamed out at the top of her lungs as the woman used all her strength to push her over the rails. Sam looked away, cringing as she listened to the trailing scream end with a crumpling thud below. After a few seconds, she looked back into the room to see the woman standing at the railing with her hands sliding across the rail. Her head was turned sideways and slightly bent downward, the wind pushed her hair across her face, slightly covering the somber, half-lidded gaze of the stranger's once fierce expression.

"I'm sorry." Sam stepped forward, furrowing her brow and holstering her weapon. The woman's head shot up and her body tensed. "But who the hell are you?"

"Just a woman taking advantage of the chaos." Sam approached her with extreme caution, taking note of her features and body language. This woman couldn't be any younger than her forties, though no older than fifty. She was active, that much was certain. "I searched everywhere for her. I knew the Sidero family was protecting her, but it was hard enough trying to sift through all of them to find her. Then, when they sent those cards out…that young bitch, I knew it would only be a matter of time before my mother reared her ugly head."

That was enough to confirm Sam's own suspicions as to who this woman was. Andre had never mentioned any aunts or uncles, so there was no one else. "You're Andre's mother?" She took a quick breath and the woman looked over her shoulder. She closed her eyes and her chest expanded.

"Yes. I survived the plot my mother created, killing my husband and two of my boys." Her hands tightened on the rail and her nostrils flared out. "For so long I could think nothing more than killing her, watching her writhe in my hands…" Sam peered over the railing, looking down at Jasmine's body.

She looked like a demon with blood-colored wings wrapped around her. Her eyes were open wide, staring above at the heaven she would never reach. "How do you feel now that you got what you wanted?" The woman's face went long, her eyes glazed over with fresh tears.

"Alive. Sort of. That woman can't hurt anyone else, but more importantly, I want to see my son." Sam breathed in deep, giving a brief nod. This, she would be more than capable of assisting. She knew Andre would love to see his mother again, to know she was alive and well.

"I think I can help with that."

"To be honest, I knew he was here. I saw him only a year ago attending that school nearby."

"Then, you must have known-"

"Yes." Sam closed her eyes. The woman's voice shook with a newfound grief. "I never knew how he looked up to her, I never knew what lies she would have told him. How could I go in and get him away from her without him somehow hating me?"

"I understand." She'd have a hard time of it herself if she were in that situation. Forced to remain inactive and watch as your son shares his life with the very person that destroyed your own. "It'd be difficult, but you won't have to worry about her any longer. Also, my family will offer you some protection until you and Andre can reconnect and decide what you're going to do."

"Thank you."

"I'm Sam, by the way." She leaned sideways against the railing, looking up into the woman's eyes. "Never got your name."

"Denise." A smile spread across her face and she extended her hand to the woman.

"Alright Denise. I can't take you to him right away, but I promise I will get you to your son." Denise shook her hand and smiled back at her.

* * *

So, we have one target down. Not much to say here, so do give your thoughts.


	29. Valentine's Day Massacre

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

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Chapter 29 (Valentine's Day Massacre)

To say she'd lost it might be saying too little, but Cat couldn't be sure. Nothing seemed right anymore, as everywhere she looked she saw red. Fire burned in her heart, her soul, and cut deeper than anything she'd felt.

Standing outside Mr. Sikowitz's old home, it all rushed back to her: the betrayal, the lies, and the fleeting glimpse of every attempt to live a normal, peaceful, happy life being burst at the seams. Her lust for revenge pulling her deeper into a very dark place. At first, she only wanted to find a way to take out Mr. Sikowitz and save Jade, but now this rush had become something more.

Much like the song Jade had sung once so long ago, she too was dangerous. Though this was not the song breaking through her mind and wracking her soul. The memory of watching her grandmother slip away brought tears to her eyes, tears of anguish, pain and freedom.

She recalled every vivid memory of her life as a child, of her mother telling her how to be a good criminal and her father pushing her harder to hone her skills. She remembered her brothers dragging her along on her very first crime: a simple petty crime, shoplifting, which gradually grew to picking the locks on cash registers and safes to take money from them.

Every pulse she had that told her these actions were wrong, quashed by her parents and siblings. Any bit of remorse or guilt she felt, she was scolded harshly by her grandmother or whipped by her grandfather, long before he passed.

At a young age, she learned to use people, and she pulled Robbie in on it when she grew close to him. The closer they became, the more she trusted him. Now, without knowing his fate, she was unleashed. He was the one she could lean on, he was the one that could pull her back to earth and bring her to a place of tranquility.

Love. It was something she'd never felt before, never understood it. Her heart had been whole when he was with her, and for once she thought she could escape her family; but then the Sideros came. They came, they painted her clear skies red; and they would pay dearly.

"Triggered." She sneered at the old teacher's home, her hands tightening until her knuckles grew while. "This is your fault, old man." Her eyes darted to the car in the drive, it wasn't Sikowitz's of course.

Through the window, she could see him. "Jason." She exhaled softly and took several steps forward. He had his back to the window, packing clothes into a dusty old suitcase. "I've killed your uncle, your mother, father, and every other piece of shit related to you…now, the crosshairs fall on the crown prince."

Cat sneered, her hand caressing the handle of the sword sheathed at her waist. Her eyes drifted down the street and a snort flew from her nostrils. "My family should be coming shortly." They were going to assist her with this, but she didn't need them. No, she'd already taken out Jason's guards and was going to eliminate him quickly. Upon their arrival, however, she would take them out as well.

It would be a bloodbath, the end of the Valentine crime family; and it would look as though they died fighting Jason's people.

It came to no surprise that he was moving still without a single clue to the bloodbath that surrounded him. She'd been quiet, stealthy, and taken the guards out one by one without anyone sensing.

She made her way to Jason's vehicle and grabbed a small bomb from her utility belt. Carefully, she attached it to the underside of his car. With that, she moved back to the house and slid along the wall until reaching the broken glass door. Her eyebrow rose and she jerked back her head. "Really? He never got this fixed? Are you shitting me?" Her heart skipped a beat and she carefully entered through the hole created so long ago.

Glancing back outside, she made sure she was finished out there. She'd laid out all her traps, some of which were not intended for Jason in any way. For instance, she didn't anticipate that he would get away from her long enough to get to his car. No, she knew her brothers would park behind that car to block out access.

Even the front door was a trap, designed for her father. She planned to tell him it was clear to enter the front door. The moment he opened the door, he would trigger a cord attached to a nearby gun. It would go off, hopefully putting a bullet in his skull.

No, Jason wasn't her prime target today. He was simply the 'easiest' target for her. She slowly unsheathed her sword and raised it horizontally in front of her glare. Her foot slid sideways across the carpet. Jason paused, his head rising slowly. Standing behind him, she flared her nostrils and tensed her body up.

He turned his head slightly over his shoulder, furrowing his brow. "Wait," he started. Cat narrowed her eyes and tightened her hands on the handle. "We don't have to do this. You've done enough."

"Never." She scowled. "It's never enough."

"I know you're angry, I know you're hurting." He turned around fully, his eyes connecting with hers. "My uncle played you, the Vegas played you, I know. You don't have to do this, though. Turn away now, I will talk to Trina. I will convince her and her sister to back off. She didn't want all this anyway, she didn't want to mess with it. Her sister wanted it more."

"I don't care."

Jason extended his hands, showing himself to be unarmed. "I've put in an order. I've disbanded the Russian mafia family. A difficult order, but there's no one left to take charge." Cat narrowed her eyes further and took another step towards him. "I would like to focus on my child. Even Trina is considering stepping back, potentially allowing one of her uncle to take over."

"No."

"Cat, listen."

"You have to die. You all have to die. You. Tori. Trina. My family." Cat charged forward, rage and bloodlust pulsing through her veins. She watched as Jason raised his arms in front of his face. Without a single thought for him, for whatever child he may have or even his fiancé, she made her decision.

The sword sliced through his wrists and dug into his neck. As with Holly, she separated his head from his shoulders and watched his body collapse to the floor. "I don't give a fuck." Her phone chirped and she looked down at it, growling as she studied the text that came.

Her family was on their way to help.

She had to act fast, they weren't stupid and would likely realize she'd already done her job. Most of the guards' bodies were hidden away, but that wouldn't matter much.

Cat texted back. "I'll be waiting." Positioning herself by the window, she crouched low and watched for her brothers' vehicle. It wasn't long before they drove up, and as planned, parked directly behind Jason's car.

Her parents parked at the curb. Her father slipped out of the car first, looking over the top and watching as his wife exited the passenger side. They had to realize things were far too calm for this, but they couldn't possibly expect her to set them up.

"Something's not right," she heard her father say. Her brothers left their car and started walking over, but Chester hung by the side of Jason's vehicle. Her younger brother's arms crossed and his eyes scanning the surrounding. "I'm going to check the front."

Cat's mother walked to the center of the yard, standing beside her oldest son. Chuck was scanning the area as well, likely wondering why things were so silent. That eerie calm would soon be broken, however.

With a sneer, Cat removed a small remote from her utility belt. She peered outside and raised an eyebrow at her family. Margaret and Chuck were peering down the road at an approaching vehicle, while Chester moved in front of Jason's car to look down the side of the house.

"Where are all the guards?" Chester asked. Her father set his hand on the doorknob, pausing to look over at his youngest son.

"Cat's efficient, that's for sure." John laughed and began to turn the knob. Cat tensed her muscles and narrowed her eyes at the front door. Her right thumb caressed the button on the remote, and in one swoop she would take out two members of her family.

Just as John pulled the door open, Cat pressed down the button to set off the bomb she placed on Jason's car.

She heard her mother's scream as the explosion tore through the car and ripped apart Chester's body like he was paper. At the same time, Cat watched the look of horror on her father's face as a bullet tore through his skull and blood flowed like a river between his eyes. His shocked expression fell onto her and his body began to twitch.

"You're right, Dad." She licked her lips slowly. "I'm nothing if not the efficient killing machine you turned me into."

The approaching car stopped behind her parents' vehicle, but Cat ignored it. "Cat!" Robbie's voice filled her ears, causing her heart to skip a beat, but her rage was far to great to be pulled away.

"Die!" She bolted from the house, raising a gun. She fired two shots, one hitting Chuck directly in the throat. His eyes bulged and his hands moved to his neck. Margaret jumped to the right, screaming at the top of her lungs as she watched her son drop to his knees.

Robbie began running, with another woman hot on his heels. "Cat, stop, you don't need this. This isn't you, and you know it."

"You're wrong!" Tears flooded her eyes as she swung her sword through the air. "You're wrong, this has to be done." Her blade swept across Chuck's chest, causing blood to splash out and forcing his body to fall backwards. "Don't come any closer." She cried out at the top of her lungs, throwing the aim of her gun in Robbie's direction. Her body cried out in pain as her heart constricted. Her eyes met Robbie's and she began panting.

"Cat…"

"Don't. Try to stop me and I'll take you out too."

She felt a searing pain in her back and flinched as the burn traveled through her limbs. She turned her head and saw her mother's frenzied expression staring her down, her hands held a knife that was twisting into her lower back.

"Fuck. I was distracted." She pulled away from her mother, gasping aloud and fighting against the pain. "You're next then, mother dearest." The fear in her mom's eyes did not reach her, Robbie calling for her to stop fell onto deaf ears.

She was far too gone, and she knew it.

"I just killed an unarmed man with a child on the way." Cat started to chuckle. "I've murdered countless people in the name of revenge." She positioned her sword in front of her, pointing it towards her mother. Her left hand folded tightly over her right and she pulled her lips away from her bared teeth. "What's one more life, momma?" Tears flooded her eyes. "What's one more? Didn't you say that all the time?"

Her mother appeared frozen with fear. "Please," stammered the woman, "Please, I'm sorry." The woman slowly dropped to her knees, burying her face into her hands.

"One crime after another, and for what? What was it all for if not to fuck up your own children?" She heard Robbie calling once more for her to stand down, but she ignored his cry for one final plunge.

Stepping forward, she plunged her sword deep into her mother's chest. Margaret gasped out, dropping her hands down and turning her eyes skyward.

"I'm sorry…" This time it was Robbie who spoke. Cat raised her head gently and closed her eyes, knowing well what was to come.

The promise. Made years ago, should she ever cross the line, it was to be him and no one else that stopped her. "No matter the cost," she whispered the very words she spoke to his trembling, fearful hands so long ago.

The sensation wasn't painful, but rather a feeling of bliss as the bullet drove into her back. She started to smile as her knees buckled, her hair cradled her falling head and her hands released the sword still positioned in her mother's body.

Robbie caught her in his arms, falling to his knees and holding her close to his chest. Peering up at his face, she saw it wet with tears and grief. She reached up to him, slowly caressing his cheek. "You're alive," she whispered, her voice weak and strained. "You're alive…"

"I'm sorry I couldn't reach you."

"You did. In the end." She smiled at him, her vision slowly darkening. She started to cough. "R-Robbie, this is important." She felt him tense, his eyes never leaving hers. "Chuck. His wife, baby girl, at the hotel." His brow furrowed.

"What are you trying to say?"

"Save them." She coughed again. "They don't deserve this. Give them another chance to live."

"What?"

"I set them up. Gas. In their hotel room." She had to talk in these short bursts, her strength was too low for anything else. She saw Robbie's eyes grow large and he looked up to the woman beside him.

"Call the ambulance."

"It's too late for me." She closed her eyes, gasping out as Robbie clutched her closer to his body. "I-I love you."

"Cat."

This was the freedom she sought, the end to a lifetime of pain. Still, deep in her heart she knew how far she'd gone. Chuck's wife was never a part of this, he had yet to fully incorporate her into the family's way-but he would have. Then his daughter would live a life just like she had. At first, killing them was to be merciful, but Cat knew they didn't deserve death. They deserved life.

"Thank you, Robbie. Tell the others, tell Jade…I'm sorry…" She let out one final breath, pleased that she could fade into the dark in his arms. She welcomed this death.

Robbie trembled as he felt Cat's body grow limp. Tiffany lowered her hand to his shoulder, but said nothing as he leaned down to kiss Cat's forehead. "I love you too," he whispered, "May you finally find peace."

He carefully laid her body down and started to stand. "What do you want to do?" Tiffany asked. There was no time to rest, he knew the last words on Cat's lips were of urgency. Wiping his eyes, he turned to Tiffany.

"Stay here. Get in touch with Gary, have him send his officers here. Also, tell him this, I'm heading to the hotel Cat's family was at. I need to find Ramona Valentine's room." No doubt Cat was good with timers, and likely had some sort of mechanism set to release a toxin into the air of that one hotel room. "I have to act fast."

Tiffany nodded and crossed her arms. Robbie took off into his car, started it up and took one fleeting glimpse at Cat's motionless body. His heart began sinking as the expression on his face tightened.

It didn't take long for him to reach the hotel. Having done his research prior, he knew the rooms Cat's family had been staying. He lifted a master key off one of the maids and took off down the corridor where Chuck's room was supposed to be.

The closer he got, the stronger his heart became. He couldn't smell any gas, but that didn't count for much. Cat preferred carbon monoxide, if nothing else. Once he got to the door, however, he could hear a baby crying.

"Fuck." He slipped the card key into its slot and pushed open the door. Almost immediately, he could see a strange box positioned on a shelf in the open closet, it was tucked away neatly so that it was hard to see. On closer inspection, he made out a small timer, which had reached zero.

A woman lay on the bed in the room, her long blonde hair tied in a ponytail and her sleeping form curled into a small ball. Beside the window was a crib, where a small toddler lay on its back, swinging its arms and legs in the air. "Okay," Robbie said breathlessly, "You first."

He ran to the crib and swept the toddler in his arms. Carefully, he pressed the child's face close to his body and moved his shirt over the child's mouth and nose. He ran out of the room just in time to see police officers rushing down the hallway. He handed the child to one of the officers and ran back in.

"Wake up." He hovered over Ramona and began to violently shake her in order to wake her. When she wasn't waking, he yanked her off the bed, picking her up with as much strength as he could muster and carried her outside where he laid her on the ground.

Without hesitation he began administering CPR, checking for a pulse and for any breath of air after a number of compressions. This went on for what felt like an eternity, with sweat pouring down his body.

When he thought he'd lost her, she began to cough and her eyes started to flutter open. "W-What's going on?" Ramona blinked twice, peering up at him. "You? I recognize your face-Cat's friend…" He started to laugh, falling back against the wall and collapsing from exhaustion.

Far be it from him to tell her the sordid news, she and her daughter could finally be free. He watched the paramedics and officers arriving on scene as they took Ramona and her baby. His body shook with every pant leaving his lips.

"At the very end of it all," he whispered while turning his eyes skywards, "You still had some humanity left. Whether you wanted to acknowledge it or not." Cat may be gone, but he knew the truth; she was free now. Free from the captivity, the prison of her own mind.

* * *

So, Cat's gone, took out her family and claimed her final victims; but in the end spared the lives of two innocents. A strange sort of salvation, but it is as Robbie will acknowledge, salvation and freedom mean different things to everyone.


	30. Fall From Grace

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N: I cannot write two scenes at the same time, so you'll understand the events occurring in this chapter with Andre, and the next with Beck, are happing at roughly the same time. Reason being, Tori again will not be at her father's big meeting but will likely be watching the news. She'll know shit is hitting the fan, so the group knows they have to hit both at the same time before the other becomes aware.

* * *

Chapter 30 (Fall From Grace)

Why Tori never went to any of her father's press conferences, Andre couldn't tell. All he cared was that it worked out for the benefit of the group. Beck needed to act fast, however, otherwise Tori would be alerted to what was happening.

As Andre neared the location, he contemplated a plan of action. Detective Malone did not sanction extreme criminal acts, so he couldn't kill anyone in order to start the lure, and a gunshot might startle the crowd.

The location was outside City Hall, and hundreds of people had gathered to hear David's attempt to smooth things over. It was a breathtaking sight for Andre, and a bit overwhelming to see David rising above all the bobbling heads of the public.

Then it hit him, and with a grin he thought of the perfect distraction: chaos. If he could stir the public up, get them either panicking or rioting, he might be able to draw David's attention-if only for a moment. At the same time, he couldn't be certain if doing so would also provide David an escape.

"No," He whispered to himself. He cracked his knuckles in his hand and blew an exhale. "I have to be more cautious." All he had to do was lure away any protectors that David had, or at best keep him talking. Somehow he had to both distract and draw David's attention to him, while doing his best to keep his associates at bay.

"Citizens," David began with his hands on his chest, "I'm here today to answer your questions. I will start out by saying, I understand your concerns regarding all of these accusations that seem to be coming out of the woodwork…"

Andre rolled his eyes and started to move in with the crowd, blending in the best that he could. As David continued to talk, Andre contemplated the man's place and power. He needed the public on his side, this was the entire concept that the Sidero family focused on. Without the public on their side, they couldn't win-this is what happened in Mexico. David also had his pride, and his pride was on the line.

He needed to make this man sweat.

Thinking fast, he placed a hand on the shoulder of one civilian in the crowd. Leaning close, he whispered in the man's ear. "How did he not know about the corruption within his own ranks? Did he look the other way, or was he a part of it all?" The man blinked twice and raised his hand up, shouting the question for David while Andre ducked back into the crowd.

David didn't falter at the question, but rather stood tall and looked over the crowd. "I was not made aware until it was too late, and by that time I have begun trying to find a way to fix the corruption."

He leaned into another civilian. "Then why is your former best friend, who claims you tried to bribe him, the one cleaning up the corruption in your ranks?" David stammered momentarily, his eyebrow rising.

"I don't know where you heard any claims that I attempted to bribe Detective Malone." He closed his eyes and started to smile. "But he has always been a good and honorable man, if I could trust anybody to clean these streets, I trust he would be more than able."

"Yet he found a book in your home listing a large amount of people connected to a mafia family."

"Ah, a _criminal_ entered my home and allegedly found a book." David smirked and his eyebrows furrowed. "How am I to know that this book was originally in my home?"

"You just made a claim that Detective Malone is free of corruption, but are you accusing him of planting evidence?"

"I am not accusing him of anything" David started to tap the stand, his eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of disturbance. Andre kept low, grinning from ear to ear as the crowd began their frantic murmuring.

"How do you answer to the events in Mexico, where your brother was found to have ties to a large mafia family?" David leaned back, his eyes narrowing. His lips pulled back into a scowl for a brief second and he started to clear his throat.

"I do not answer to the events in Mexico. My brother has long since been estranged from my family, so I do not have any connections with the man." Andre shook his head and looked out across the crowd. He began tapping his chin, humming softly as he contemplated his next question.

"Sir, you stand accused of being a part of the mob family yourself."

David raised his hands, chuckling softly. "My friend, you may search me as you wish. I think you will find that I have no ties to-"

"But your wife was involved in the Irish Mafia!" The civilian that shouted caught Andre off guard, he looked over and raised his eyebrows before giving an appreciative nod. Some people paid attention to the news, it seemed, and Cat's rampage in Ireland was all over the media. Indeed, Holly was discovered to be involved in the crime family per the investigation on her murder. "It was all over the news that she was in with them. Explain that, Chief!"

Another civilian raised her hand, clenching it into a fist. "Yeah, more evidence keeps coming out against you." David grit his teeth and leaned forward, his hands gripping the edge of the podium as tight as possible. His eyes drifted to the guards on the stage. He muttered something to them that caused them to all leave the stage and begin searching the crowd.

Rolling his eyes, Andre took shelter behind another civilian. It wouldn't last long, but at least he got all David's people off. "How do you explain the Mayor receiving money from you? How deep does your corruption go? Are you the puppet, or are you the puppeteer?"

"Puppeteer," said another. Andre raised his head and saw Robbie approaching the crowd. His fists were clenched and he was covered in sweat and dirt. David grew tense, a growl drifted from his throat as Robbie raised his prosthetic hand up. "That man is a leader of the Sidero family. I know, because I was abducted by them and they removed my hand." He separated his prosthetic hand from his arm, causing a gasp to fly over the crowd. "I was held captive by his brother in Mexico, rescued by the rebellion."

David coolly slid his hand through his hair, chuckling softly as he tried to regain his composure. "I don't answer to claims such as these. They are not proven." He extended a hand, motioning at Robbie. "This man was once a friend of my daughters', he caused my eldest to miscarry and routinely stalked my youngest." Robbie started growling, his chest expanding slowly.

"So you acknowledge kidnapping out of a desire for revenge?"

"Revenge?" He laughed. "I want no such thing. If anything, Victoria would prefer to take her anger out on you, but I do not allow these things."

"No?" Robbie pulled out a photo from his wallet and held it up. Andre strained his eyes a bit to see, but he could tell it was Cat. "Tell that to her. Cat Valentine. Your family drove her to commit the murders she did, your family drove her to kill your wife. She was kidnapped by you, and eventually died because of your actions."

"I am not responsible for the criminal activities of another individual." Andre bumped into someone by mistake, causing the crowd to disperse a bit. David's frantic eyes shot over and landed on him. The man leaned forward, his lips spreading into a smile. "There you are." All eyes fell on him and David extended his finger. "Andre Harris, the man who assaulted my daughter everyone. The man who infiltrated my house and stole that book from my study."

David froze, realizing his words, and Andre started to smirk. Robbie reattached his prosthetic hand to his arm, chuckling as the crowd began to shout. "So then, by your own admission, you _are_ connected to the mafia. You _are_ a leader of the Sidero family, trying to take control over the state of California as the names in your black book suggest."

Andre thumbed his nose at David, whose frustration had finally reached its peak. Like a volcano, the man's shout roared over the crowd. "Get him!" One of the guards searching the audience whipped out a gun and took a shot that missed Andre by about an inch. The audience began to disperse, screams and cries rising into the sky.

In the corner of his eyes, he saw Tiffany rushing towards the fray. She wielded a sword and a pistol, using it to sever the limb of the guard that fired the shot. As the innocents made their escape, Andre noticed Gary's officers starting to surround the area.

Several of David's men were now being arrested and taken out, leaving David staggering off the stage. "I don't think so," Andre growled. He rushed for the stage, gripped the edge and leapt onto it. David turned his head, raising his eyebrows high.

"Mr. Harris. You think you can stop me?" Andre landed on his feet and glared into David's eyes with his nostrils flaring. "This is only a minor setback. If you think you've won, you have another thing coming." David withdrew his pistol and aimed it at Andre's forehead.

Glancing to the right, Andre saw another spectacle: Jesse from the Black Knights had brought his gang to the scene. They were there in large numbers, aiding the innocents in getting out. He grinned at David and shrugged as the gang members began making their way through the crowd, taking out corrupt officers and Sidero associates alike.

"One thing you should never underestimate about 'criminals', Chief." David turned his head, groaning softly as Andre reached for the man's wrist. "When it comes to protecting their home from invaders, they'll always do the right thing; and right now, that means stopping you and the rest of the Sidero family from taking their home away."

"Damn you." Andre pushed down David's arm as he pulled the trigger, and winced as a bullet tore past his outer right bicep. As a result, he twisted David's wrist and forced him to drop the gun. "You won't survive this. I guarantee it."

Andre watched as Detective Malone ascended the stage behind David, and began to chuckle as relief filled him. "You and your 'guarantees', Chief Sidero." David raised an eyebrow and Andre dealt a swift punch into David's abdomen, causing him to double over.

The move gave him time to leap off the stage and make a run through the area. A short distance away, he saw a black car pull up. The window rolled down and Sam's face appeared like a beacon in the dark. "Come on," she called out while sweeping her hand inwards. "Let's go." Andre nodded and entered the back of the car. Panting heavily, he looked outside and watched as Gary pulled David from the ground and slapped the handcuffs on the man's wrist.

A look of pride fell over the Detective's face, and for the first time Andre could see relief and pleasure in the man. It seemed as though a great weight was falling off his shoulders. "He got his guy." Andre laughed incredulously, pumping his fist victoriously. "About damn time."

"Speaking of things long awaited." A woman's voice struck him, catching him off guard. He glanced out the corner of his eye where Sam and Freddie sat in the front seats, then slowly turned his head to the person beside him. His brow furrowed at the older woman, whom he did not recognize yet felt a sense of familiarity. She gave him a warm smile, one that strangely calmed him. "Hello Andre."

"Wha…"

Freddie leaned over, sweeping his hand from the left to the right. "Yeah, so you see…" He cleared his throat. "Andre, meet your mother, whom we found. Denise, meet your son." Andre's eyes widened and his mouth fell open. "At a loss for words? Not surprised. Nice as this reunion is, we've still got work to do, you see."

Robbie was already in the car, sitting in the row directly behind them. It was more of a storage area for luggage, but someone could still sit in the back. "Touching as this reunion is." Andre glanced to his friend, swallowing the newly formed lump in his throat. "We should go help Beck. Tiffany is already on her way. Pretty sure Tori will try to sink her claws into Beck soon enough, and I believe Detective Malone can handle things from here."

"Y-Yeah." Andre looked out of the car and saw the crowd slowly making their way back to the stage. Gary was still there with David in his clutches. He blinked as the civilians all looked to him, as though expecting him to say something.

"The threat remains," Gary spoke, "The Sidero family have integrated themselves in many places throughout the world. We're investigating how deep the corruption is, but with this man behind bars, I can tell you this city will be much safer…" Not one for speeches, Gary pushed David forward to walk him towards his patrol car.

Andre chuckled softly as Sam started to drive. "He should accept his destiny, I think. Totally needs a promotion."

* * *

So the public figurehead falls, and with that the Sidero family is exposed. That's a powerful blow indeed, but one more remains in Cali. Shall we see how Beck fares against Tori? What are your thoughts on the events of this chapter, eh?


	31. Just a Stroll

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 31 (Just a Stroll)

The Sidero believed themselves invincible and untouchable, but Beck was here to show them the error of those ways. Perhaps, if they'd left them alone, the Sidero clan would be moving full force with their plans and succeeding. Surely Trina understood this, she had to have realized that going after his friends was a mistake.

Then again, he was beginning to entertain a different truth, that perhaps this wasn't solely on her shoulders, but maybe Tori was the one gunning for them for whatever reason. It wasn't something he wanted to consider, but these days he'd become his own conspiracy theorist of sorts.

Either way, the possibility that she wanted to sink her claws into him was the strongest theory, but he didn't know her plan. Still he'd use that to his advantage, guide her away from her home and to a trap.

Eyeballing the surroundings, he couldn't see guards, but he knew they were there. Surely they were watching him. He pushed his hands into his pocket and made his way to the front door. Sucking in a deep breath, Beck raised a hand and hovered his finger over the doorbell. His eyes moved sideways to the corners of the house, then to the trees. The longer he lingered, the more his heartbeat started increasing in speed. He could almost feel the guns aimed on him.

"Let's just hope I'm right and she won't outright kill me." If anything she'd see value in his reconnecting with Andre, and if she were still the Delilah she'd been before, she would certainly try to charm him into bringing her to the man.

Beck hit the doorbell and waited with a smile until the door slid open and Tori's face was peering out at him. Her eyebrows rose and her lips were forming a circle. "Beck? You're alive?" She stepped outside, closing the door behind her. A smile graced her and she clasped her hands together before her chest. "I was worried when I hadn't heard from you or anything. Andre wasn't even able to get in touch with you."

"Yeah, I…" He ran his hand through his hair, his teeth chattering a bit. "I had a bit of soul searching to do." Tori nodded softly and looked back at the door. "Andre told me you two had a bit of a falling out. What happened there?" Tori's gaze shot back to him and her arms crossed over her chest.

"It's complicated. No trust there. So then, you're back in touch with him?"

"Briefly."

"I see." She curved a finger under her chin and dipped her eyes to the ground. Beck could see her contemplating something, and hoped she was thinking about using him to get close to Andre. After a second, she glanced up in askance. "So what brings you here?"

"I had to talk to you." He inhaled and watched a smile grow on her face. "I needed to see you. If you have a minute to talk, that is…" She frowned and pulled her thumb over her shoulder.

"Watching my dad's speech, but yeah I have time."

"Oh yeah, Andre mentioned you never went to any of his talks." He furrowed his brow and moved his hands behind his back. Slowly he turned and started to step off the porch, looking at Tori with invitation. She appeared to ponder the option, if only for a moment, then followed him off the porch. "How come?"

"I really just find them boring. I practically know what he's going to say, and I don't like going. I prefer to stay home, eat and do my own thing." This was reasonable, he could see doing the same thing in her place. Originally, he thought it was because the family didn't want two powerful Sidero members in the same place at the same time. This would have been a lesson heavily reinforced in Cuba.

"I can understand that, actually." He stopped halfway down the sidewalk and turned. "You don't mind going on a short walk with me, would you?" Tori shook her head and moved closer to him, smiling brightly. "I missed talking to you, you know."

"And I've missed you. I've been really upset with everything going on." She pouted a lip and looked down. "Now Andre and I are on bad terms. That hurts even more, because he was the only friend I had left." Beck inhaled deep and looked to the sky, his hands pushed deeper into his pockets.

"Maybe I could talk to him for you, try to work something out." Her eyes lit up and he flashed a charming smile. "I could get you two together, maybe be a referee of sorts in getting you to iron out your differences."

"I would love that, Beck." He had to remember also that even if she knew about the events in Mexico and Cuba, she had no reason to believe he knew she was part of the Sidero family. With that being said, he could easily play oblivious and get her to buy into it.

"Has your dad and the police made any progress trying to find the others?" Tori hooked a finger over her lip and bit the tip of her nail. Her eyes slid into narrow slants and the corners of her mouth dipped a bit.

"Unfortunately not, I thought he could, but the Sidero family is elusive. Not to mention, somebody's been spreading rumors about my daddy and keeping him from being able to do his job."

"What kind of rumors?"

She huffed angrily and stopped at an intersection where cars were passing. He stepped next to her and gently set a hand on her shoulder. "He's been trying, but because he hasn't made progress in finding them, people think he's corrupt. He's not!" Beck closed his eyes and frowned.

"I'm sorry. I know you're as much a victim of them as all of us." As the street sign changed, indicating that it was safe to walk, Tori pulled away and followed him across the street. He had to tempt her more, to keep her talking and to keep her interested in following him. What better than to bait her with the potential escapee of the Sidero family?

"You know, I've heard rumors that one of our friends got out." Tori raised her eyebrows and looked to him with a small grin. "I got close to someone associated with the Sidero family, and they were talking about Cat. I think she's alive, maybe even in town."

Tori clasped her hands together and cupped them over her mouth. "Oh god, that would be fantastic. I'd love to see her again."

They stopped in front of the entrance to a park with numerous trails. His heart skipped a beat as he caressed the walled entrance with his hand, it was made of stone and about three feet high. A metal arch ran from the end of the wall and connected to a wall opposite of it. "Ah River Valley park, I used to come here all the time with Jade…" Tori frowned and reached for his hand, giving it a quick squeeze.

"I miss her too, Beck. I'm sorry, I truly am."

"Yeah." He bowed his head and tried to hold back the tears that were coming up. "Let's not…think about her right now." Tori set her head on his shoulder and he resisted the urge to pull away. With a sigh, he moved forward. "Want me to text Andre? Ask him to swing by? I could try to get you guys talking."

Tori smiled pleasantly and gave a quick nod. "I think that'd be perfect." He whipped out the phone in his pocket, but Tori quickly shook her hand at him. "Don't mention me, though. Just tell him you'd like to hang out here." He circled his lips and started to nod.

"Sure, I can do that." He quickly sent out the text, letting Andre know that he was currently at the park. It was all a part of the plan, so he sent the text to Robbie as well. If they completed their goals, they may be able to bring some assistance their way; the same was true of Sam and Freddie. Any guards that might follow Tori would need to be dealt with.

As they followed the designated path of his choosing, his mind began to fill with memories of Jade. This was the path they would walk on so many occasions, it circled the park and eventually came up to a Cliffside overlooking a large body of water. Birds had always seemed to circle above, singing and playing while below fish would be jumping from the lake.

It was exceptionally beautiful at sunset.

It was a walk that, while he'd never shared with anyone else, felt perfect for catching Tori. It's trails were narrow and curvy enough, as well as well-traversed by hikers, that they could potentially lose any followers. Not as likely, but it was essentially a dead end that would close off the possibility for escape. After all, she only had two ways to go: Back down the long trail, or off the cliff, and it was a deadly drop from there.

"So, do you mind me asking what happened with you and Andre?" Tori started to tense, her shoulders slid forward a bit and a long scowl swept across her face.

"He played me, Beck, played me like a fiddle." Not surprising considering she had a small amount of naivety in her, just enough for her to be fooled into thinking she had the upper hand when she did not. "Came into my home and sweet-talked his way past me and into my dad's study. He stole something that did not belong to him."

"Wow." His eyebrows rose and he gasped for effect. "That doesn't seem like the Andre I grew up with." It was laughable really, because he knew what Andre was really capable and if he could guess, Tori was extremely lucky he didn't snap her neck that day. "I mean maybe it was a misunderstanding, maybe we can talk some sense into him, right?"

"Yeah…we'll see."

Once they reached the overlook, every fiber in his body wanted to scream and cry as memories of Jade grew fresher and heavier. Everywhere he looked, he saw her and he saw a memory. His heart sank as he studied the Cliffside, questioning how strong his hope and faith would be. How close he was to wanting to take a leap off the cliff himself, and he would if death were to be the only way he could be with her again.

"It's beautiful." Tori approached the cliff, clasping her hands together and looking at the vast ocean. Beck exhaled forcefully and leaned against a rock wall nearby. His arms crossed over and he looked with narrow eyes to the trail they just came from. "You've been here before, surely."

"Of course I have." In the center of the area, he imagined the large red blanket they'd set down for a picnic. With a smile, he remembered every kiss as they stripped each other down and wrapped the blanket around their bodies. His heart continued to pound and he closed his eyes, sucking in a heavy breath. "This," he whispered to no one, "Is where she got pregnant."

Tori looked away from the Cliffside. "Did you say something?" Beck narrowed his eyes at her as she looked back to the waters. He had a strong edge to push her over, but with as strong as David's will was, he was certain they'd never find Jade if Tori died today.

"No..." This was where he and Jade would begin, this was where Tori would end. Hearing a rustling noise, Beck raised his head back and looked to the trees with a slick smirk. Eventually, he saw Andre making his way from the trail. "Andre, how's it going?"

Tori spun around and Andre's eyes flew to her. The boy started to growl, his muscles tightening and teeth grinding together. "Beck? What the fuck is she doing here? Why'd you call me out here?"

"Just wanted to talk."

Tori moved forward, her arms swinging at her waist and her eyes locked in a dead heat with Andre's. "Good to see you again, Andre." She had a darker tone in her voice, shocking to hear. Her fist clenched for a split second, then relaxed. She began to reach into her shirt, then removed a small handgun. Beck jerked is head back and his eyes widened, he hadn't expected that she'd be packing. "I've been wanting to find you."

"Oh now she gets smart?" Another voice filled the air, and Tori froze. Beck grinned as Robbie arrived on the scene, he had a gun ready as well. "No wonder your sister seems to want nothing more to do with you, you're so fucking stupid that you'd walk right into a trap without realizing it!"

Tori jerked back and looked at Beck. He started to chuckle and reached into his pocket to remove a pocketknife. "Sorry Tori, looks like you got played. Again." Next on the scene was Tiffany, wielding a long sword; and behind them they heard combat noises all down the trail.

Andre cracked his head to the left, then to the right. "Sounds like any guards that were following you have met the city gangs and Italian Mafias." Tori started to growl, her eyes darting around to each person. She swept her gun towards Beck, raising her voice loud.

"You tricked me. Asshole. This was nothing but a setup!"

Beck took a step towards her, shrugging as he began to circle. She turned with him, keeping her murderous glare locked with his. "It was nothing." He smirked at her. "What? I was one of Hollywood Arts's best actors, wasn't I?"

"You invaded our lives," Andre said, "It's high time you pay for everything. The betrayal, the attacks…and you know what you're going to do next?"

Before Tori could pull the hammer on her gun, Beck grabbed her wrist as firmly as he could and twisted it. Tori screamed out, and the more he twisted her arm and strengthened his grip, the sooner she would drop to her knees in anguish.

He leaned towards her, glaring back at her. "You're going to tell us where Jade is." Tori opened her eyes and threw her head back, laughing.

"I'll never give it away. Never!"

"Oh you will." He glanced to the Cliffside, then with a sudden burst of strength, yanked her off the ground and dragged her over to the edge. Tori screamed out as he pushed her to the ground, leaving her halfway off the edge, and put his head on the back of her head. "Where is she?" Tori squirmed in his grasp, hissing and cussing at him.

"I'll never tell. Throw me over, Beck, you'll be throwing away the location of her and my sister." Tori smirked at him. His nostrils flared as hate poured through his veins.

Andre approached him, moving a hand to his shoulder, calming him. "She will tell us Beck, but right now, we need to get her to Gary." Beck closed his eyes, groaning softly. He felt closer than ever to Jade's location, and once again his impatience could very well be his undoing.

He had to take a few seconds before pulling her hands behind her back and lifting her off the ground. "Fine." Tiffany made her way over, and with a long cord, bound Tori's wrists together.

"I'll get you all," Tori hissed, "Mark my words. You'll pay for everything."

Robbie scoffed and stepped in front of Tori, drawing her eyes to his. "You know something, Tori? If you hadn't been so fucking focused on us, then we wouldn't have any reason to come after you. Everything that is going on right now?" He pat her shoulder, and flashed a smirk. "It's all your fault."

Tori dropped her shoulders and let her head fall. She began to chuckle, but said nothing else. Beck started to relax, feeling a weight lifted from his shoulders. The war wasn't over yet, but now he could see a destination in sight. Soon enough, he'd have Jade's location and he would go to her.

As they made their way through the trail, Tori began to raise her head. "Want to know where Jade is?" Beck raised an eyebrow at her and she began laughing. "Stockholm. Get it? Stockholm!"

"Shut up, bitch."

Beck rolled his eyes and sighed as Andre pat him on the back. "Don't listen to her Beck, don't let her get under your skin." He could do that, hard as it was.

* * *

So they've got Tori. It's not over yet though, California may still be in danger. Even more yet, we know that the politicians in Washington are also in danger, but we're reaching an end.


	32. Humanity in a Hardened Soul

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 32 (Humanity in a Hardened Soul)

Jade was polishing the artifacts in the living room, but her focus wasn't on the vase in her hands. Standing behind the couch that Trina was sitting on, she watched the television as it aired international news. The Los Angeles Police Chief had been disgraced publicly, and it made headlines in the US.

Her heart was pounding as she watched her old friends confront Mr. Vega. She was seeing them as she'd never seen them before, and it worried her. Andre looked so full of anger, then even Robbie, she could see he was hurting. At least they were winning, unseating one of the most powerful members of the Sidero family; but she didn't know if it would last.

Trina was clearly agitated, grumbling and shifting her position on the couch. It wasn't hard to understand why, this was a huge setback.

Jade set the vase down gently and sat on the couch next to her, furrowing her brow. "Wow, I…don't know what to say." Trina leaned back, scoffing lightly. She stretched her arms along the top of the couch and slowly shook her head. "I mean, I-"

"You don't have to say anything." Trina shut her eyes and her chest rose slowly, then sank. "This is my sister's doing, her lust for vengeance has caused the downfall of my family. I have no doubt in my mind of it."

"Yeah." Jade bowed her head and slowly closed her fingers around the rag in her hand, crumpling it into a ball. "You know, you're mature for your age. I can see why your dad thought you were ready to lead." Trina looked her way, leaning her head back a bit.

"As are you. Tragedy and trauma age people more than they realize. I've seen more than you know."

"How much could you possibly have seen?"

"Remember, I've been in this since I was a little girl." Trina folded her arms across her chest and narrowed her eyes. "More than Tori, I've followed my father so closely that I've seen the bloodshed. I've grown up living this life. I have no escape from it."

Jade blinked twice, turning her head towards the television as the last few words from Trina's lips sank into her brain. They were difficult to understand, because it seemed to imply something more than what was on the surface level. Could they mean that Trina wanted out, or could she be looking too much into a simple statement?

She'd have to press further, just to see what might be inside. "If you could leave it though, give your baby a chance to grow up outside of all this…" Trina raised an eyebrow at her. Jade watched the woman's hand slide down to her abdomen and started to smile. "I mean, surely you'd want that baby to have a better life. To avoid all of this."

"I didn't say I had a bad life, just a rough one. Sure, I wouldn't mind giving my child a better life than what I have…a chance to grow up, have a normal life." Trina leaned her head back and chuckled "I see what you're doing, and I hear you, but my family has come too far for me to drop out now."

"Yeah, but your father just got arrested." Jade motioned at the television and Trina's face sank. "I wonder if the Sidero family can bounce back so easily."

"It's possible. Difficult, sure, but doable." There was an expression of doubt upon the seasoned mobster's face, something that caused Jade's heart to flicker. She walked towards a table near the couch and picked up a small duster, with a faint smile she moved towards the left wall and began dusting the shelves that were there.

Trina leaned back, her hand sliding off her abdomen and dropping to the sofa cushion. "I won't lie. I've thought about it." Jade turned her head, lifting her eyebrows up. "Taking Jason, my child, and running away."

"What's kept you from doing that?"

"Responsibilities and disappointment. My father expected so much." Trina started to exhale. Jade tightened her thumb around the stem of the duster and tucked her lower lip under her teeth. "Jason's family was a little more expectant of him; but then I realized another thing."

She turned around, centering her eyes almost squarely on the back of Trina's head. She watched the woman gesture to the television. "This. I knew Tori wasn't ready for this kind of responsibility. I knew she would fail. If I vanished away, it would mean my father had no responsible heir to the Sidero family. Jason's family as well. Then, we would ultimately be hunted-regardless of circumstances."

It sounded horrible, so much that Jade could almost feel the weight of Trina's difficulty. She was beginning to emphasize and understand. It was one of those situations where she had to step back and wonder if she was suffering from Stockholm; but she knew better. With child herself, she sympathized with Trina's struggle. She understood the hardship, difficulty, and uncertainty of not wanting to put her child through such a rough life yet unable to get away from such a difficult life long enough to give her child a good life.

She lowered the feather duster and walked back towards Trina, her gaze softening as Trina looked up towards her. "I still have nightmares from time to time, terrified of my own family and scared of my future." Jade placed the duster on the end table and sat down on the other end of the couch. "I'm afraid I won't be able to make the right choices for my child, afraid they'll go through the same hardships that I did."

"Yet you can change that. The things you have gone through, you aren't suffering from any longer." Trina squinted at the television where an image of Beck flashed by. "You have a man willing to risk life and limb for you, though you still, for whatever reason, fear he'll betray your trust."

"My sister destroyed me, murdered our mother. It's hard to trust."

"So you blame Beck for something that your sister did?" Trina's head tilted and Jade pressed her lips together firmly. In her heart, she screamed 'no'; but even now it was too difficult to get out of her own head.

"Then someone that I was beginning to come around to trusting wound up betraying us all…" Trina chuckled and bent her head downward.

"Yes. Tori. I can understand. Has Beck ever genuinely let you down? Betrayed your trust?" Jade opened her mouth but held back, her eyes drifting to the corner. "You've been so paranoid about him cheating on you, but he's never so much as touched another girl, has he?"

"Well…Tori was the closest he came, I think." Her stomach flipped; the fact was nauseating to think about now. "But no. He's never gone as far as I've always feared."

"Right." Trina leaned forward, her elbows bending on her knees as she clasped her hands before her face and rested the tip of her nose on her knuckles. Her eyes dug into the screen and creases formed on the woman's forehead. "Your friends. Seeing this news footage. Surely you've never seen them like this before?" Jade hesitated before looking back at the television. Her heart sank as she recalled them.

The rage present on Andre's expression, the stress and venom in Robbie's eyes; but then the determination and sharpness that Beck showed. All of it was unsettling, even Beck's own bravado. The last thing she wanted was for him to die. "No. I've always known about Andre's and Beck's connection to the city gangs, but I convinced Beck to get away from his gang. As for Andre, they'd always been best friends, so much I didn't have the heart to force them apart-but I'd never seen that look on his face."

It was so violent that she was terrified to think Andre could be getting sucked into that life. "Andre's the protective one, isn't he?" Trina shut her eyes and tension spread across her face. Jade looked to the woman's pregnant belly and smiled as the woman started to relax. "He's never done anything to hurt you or Beck."

"Correct."

"Then there was Robbie. The oddball."

She knew the least about him, to be honest. He was friends with Beck and Andre, but he always seemed to have ties to Cat. Thinking on it, her heart stopped and she looked back to the screen, whispering the redhead's name. "She's not there." Trina hummed, her gaze shifting over as a frown stretched across her face. "Where is she? She escaped. Where's Cat?"

"She did." She looked at Trina and she could see in her eyes that she was holding back. There was a sadness in her eyes, one which spoke volumes. "She's very strong. I have no doubt that she survived."

"Then why is she not there with the others?"

"I'm not sure." Silence hung in the air and a deep, unsettling feeling grew in her pit. She wanted to ask what Trina knew, but was afraid of what it could mean. "You've been let down by a lot of people in your life, but it is better to focus on those who have never let you down. Beck, your father; and even Andre-despite his gang ties."

She exhaled. "Yes." The sound of a phone ringing cut through the air, causing Jade to flinch and tense her muscles. Trina looked to the end table and reached over with a sigh. Jade folded her hands in her lap and bent her head, closing her eyes as she listened to the woman.

"What is it?" Trina paused, and it didn't take long for Jade to detect a sharp change in the woman's breathing. She opened her eyes briefly to glance over and saw the woman's once strong, unwavering expression turn ghastly and ill. Her left hand clung to her chest, veins bulging from her trembling hand. "No." Trina's breath started to shake and tears began to flood her eyes. "You're lying."

Jade furrowed her brow and leaned backwards. She watched the tension come over Trina's face as silent tears ran down her face. She wanted to say something, to do anything to console this woman; but was afraid of whatever the person on the other end was saying. She didn't think Trina would lash out at her in anger, yet she didn't know what to expect.

Eerily, Trina slowly hung up the phone. Without a word, she turned her head away and shut her eyes. Jade's voice fell to a whisper and she leaned over a bit, raising a nervous hand towards Trina's shoulder. "T-Trina?" Trina sucked in a heavy breath, bringing a hand to her face and forehead.

The woman's fingers dipped into her hair and she began to shake violently. "What have I done? What have I allowed?" In between each broken sob and breath, her words were barely legible. "Jade."

"Yeah?"

"I can't breathe. Everything…Tori, this is her fault." Trina dropped her hand with a gasp, still trembling. It looked as though she were trying to suppress a cry. As Jade tried to process, she began to realize what must have occurred. This woman didn't react like this when she witnessed her father's arrest, or the failure and death of her relatives; but Jade didn't have to guess to know what she was reacting to.

This was the same way she reacted to the very thought of Beck's death, to every waking moment of fearing she would never see him again. To see love torn apart, like a knife to the heart. "He's gone," Jade whispered, "Isn't he?" Trina brought her hands to her face and answered with a loud wail. "I know I shouldn't ask, but…"

Trina raised her head, and surprisingly, Jade found no coldness in her eyes; nor any rage or hate. Only sorrow and grief. "I could have stopped it before it came to this. I should have kept Tori at bay, not listened to her spoiled-brat rantings about childish revenge. Had I known it would come to this, had I known I would lose the only one that mattered…"

"He's not the only one." Trina scoffed and Jade reached over, carefully placing a hand on Trina's belly. The woman's gaze followed her motion and her expression softened. "This one matters too. I don't know how it would feel, but the very thought of my baby growing without a father terrifies the hell out of me. So I do understand, if only a little, what must be going through your head right now."

Tori's little game was what Trina was blaming, which suggested that one of the group must have taken Jason's life. The question on her mind was whom. Cat was the only one missing from that news program, but surely it couldn't have been her. "Focus on that. Focus on that child."

"You're right." Trina took a deep breath and slid her hands through her hair, pulling it back behind her shoulders. "You asked…you asked about Cat before." A lump formed in her throat and she started to nod. "You should know when she escaped, she was doing everything she could to protect you."

"I heard a lot of screams the day she escaped, I didn't know what was going on."

"She was apparently a trained fighter." Jade's mouth dropped open and Trina cleared her throat. "She was doing everything she could to try and help you, and to find her friends. I think…I think her path crossed with Jason's." Jade pulled away, the shock was difficult for her. There seemed to be more to the story than what Trina was letting on, was the woman hiding something to spare her feelings?

"So…you're saying they fought?"

Trina grabbed a tissue from nearby and started to wipe her face and blow her nose. "My people found Cat as well, Jade…" She gasped and slowly brought her trembling hand over her mouth. "Seems she had some family issues too, her fight with Jason appears to have been…interrupted by one of her relatives…both died as a result."

"Oh my god. No." Jade cupped her hands over her mouth and shut her eyes. "Why? Cat, why?"

"She died bravely, I think. For you. Remember her that way." Trina rose from the couch, stumbling forward. "I…need to think." Jade raised her head, resisting the urge to scream. Trina walked a few steps then stopped, keeping her head bowed and back turned to her. The woman's hands tightened. "Jade. I'm sorry you got caught up in this. I truly am. This is the result of my sister's madness."

"D-Did that person happen to report on Tori? What is she doing now that…now that Mr. Vega's been taken?"

"Seems she's disappeared."

With that, Trina walked off, leaving Jade alone in the room with only the news prattling on about the loss. It was heartbreaking to hear about Cat, and to learn something she'd never known about the girl. Sure, it was frightening as well; but at least Cat was trying to save her like the others. Now, the only question that remained was what might come next. Who was left in the Sidero clan at this point?

"Oh…"

* * *

So. What are your thoughts? Goes to show you good and evil are not always black and white, there's always a remarkable grey area for which there is human nature. One can only guess what may come next, but could Trina be having some second thoughts? What do you think will happen? Seems we're getting closer to the finish line, let's see if Beck and the others can make that final sprint to the end


	33. Hope Returning

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 33 (Hope Returning)

Beck awoke to the sound of a metal door slamming shut, his blurred vision fixated on the ceiling above him as he kept his hands tucked under his head. His left leg lay straight along the leather bench seat while his right leg was bent upwards. The walls of the prison that he'd been napping in seemed to close in, though he was only in a long hallway.

With a deep breath, he sat upright and looked around at the empty corridor. For whatever reason, Gary wanted him here. It was as though he saw something in Beck that he wanted tap into, and Beck was enjoying it. "Where's the old guy anyway? I'm getting impatient." They were going to question both Tori and David in an attempt to both locate Trina and implicate the rest of the family.

He knew chances were slim that they'd be quick to give it all up, but they had to try.

Beck rubbed his eyes and let out a long yawn, his head was throbbing, though very little. As he threw his feet off the bench and onto the ground, he peered down to where his cell phone rested. A flicker of hope faded as soon as it came; the same as it was every time he looked at the object. "I'm going to find you Jade. I promise you, I won't fail you."

There was so much that had taken place that he didn't know how easy or hard it would be to try and reconnect the pieces. "All of this…everything that's happened to us; it's my fault. I'm coming to grips with it, but I won't be able to live with myself if we don't win." He raised his head to the door that had closed a few minutes ago and he furrowed his brow. "Wonder if Gary's brought either of them in yet."

It wouldn't be long before Gary travelled to D.C. to meet with his FBI contacts. Beck had little interest in going there, for he was certain that the man would succeed in toppling Raul's plans. With David and Tori having fallen, and multiple of the members of the Sideros clan out of the picture, the entire mafia family was in shambles.

Even now, both the Puckett's and Benson's were waging war on the Sidero clan on all fronts. It wasn't hard, because their leaders were gone, but there always remained a chance that the tides could turn.

Beck slid his hand through his hair, his breath shuttering as he shut his eyes. "It's too damn quiet. I can't even think." He wondered what the others were up to. He knew Robbie was grieving, and likely getting drunk somewhere. Andre, despite being the one to keep Beck from snapping Tori's neck before, wasn't happy that Tori would be stuck in police questioning. He didn't believe the police could accomplish much, and preferred more 'persuasive' tactics of getting information. Even Tiffany wasn't too far off from Andre's perspective, seeming to prefer waterboard Tori and put her through a through torturous methods than just let her sit and chat with a cop.

Beck's phone started to light up and he raised an eyebrow, within a few seconds the chime of his ringtone started to play. He used a caller ID app, but it popped up with an unknown number and unknown location. Still, it made his heart skip a beat. Filled with false hope, he reached for his phone and started to answer, expecting that the caller could be just another telemarketer.

"Hello?" How often, he wondered, had he answered every phone call with the hope of it being Jade only to have those hopes dashed? "This is Beck Oliver. Who can I ask is calling?"

"B-Beck?" His heart stopped, his eyes shot open, widening to the point they were about to pop off his face. Hearing her voice floored him, and for a moment his brain doubted his ears. "Beck." He was speechless, struggling to think of anything to say.

"It can't be…Jade?" He stammered and moved his hand frantically through his hair. It was like hearing the voice of a friend he'd not seen in decades. She sounded sweet as always, and strangely calm despite the ordeal she must have been enduring. "Jade, oh god is it really you? They're letting you call?"

"Yes."

"Are you safe? Where are you? What are they doing to you!"

"I'm safe. I'm with Trina." His heart leapt to his throat and he started to grow nervous. "She's letting me call you."

"She is? What is she doing right now? Has she hurt you in any way?"

"No…the opposite, actually. She's been protecting me." He jerked his head back, unable to believe what he'd just heard. "She-She's pregnant. She's miscarried in the past, so she didn't want any harm to befall me…" Jade grew quiet and Beck cracked a small, understanding how Jade could come to be compassionate towards Trina at this point.

"I know you're pregnant, Jade." He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "I've done nothing but think about you, about our child. I've been trying to find you, to get you out of there. Everything I've done is for you."

"I know." Jade sighed. "God, to hear your voice again." Tears filled his eyes and he began to shake with desire. He wanted to reach through the phone and embrace her, to tell her how much he loved her and wanted to protect her from anything and everything the world could throw their way. "What are you doing right now?"

"We're about to question Mr. Vega and Tori."

"Tori? You've got her too?"

"Yeah, she's in custody." There was only so much he could give, because there was no way of knowing if Trina was listening or what she might do with the information. "Trina won't hurt you? Forgive me for being skeptical…"

"No, I'm safe with her. Everything that's happened, Beck? It's all Tori. Everything was her plan…" He tensed and looked towards a questioning room. "She's been driven to madness, seeking nothing but revenge against us. Trina could care less about our group, she let Tori do all this."

"I see. We're going to try to get her to tell us where you're at, Jade. I will find you. I promise." There was a pause, and silence on the other end. Beck could hear some chatter in the background, but couldn't make it out. He waited with anticipation until Jade came back on the line.

"Trina says Tori won't tell where; but it's okay for me to tell you…" He raised an eyebrow and started to shout his disbelief, but he had to take any chance he could at finding a lead to her location. "I'm in Madrid. The main compound."

"Damn…If that's true…"

"Beck, Trina is willing to let me go. She wants all of this to be over just as much as I do." Her voice started to break. "I just want to go home."

"I'll bring you home Jade. I promise." He took a swift breath, then let it out slowly. "Jade. I love you. I want you to know that. I should have believed you about everything, I never should have let you go…" He wiped the tears from his face and began to choke up. "You're my one and only."

"I love you too, Beck."

"When this is all over, when we get home, I want you to know…I will always be there for you. No matter what."

"I believe you."

He glanced up and saw Gary walking down the hall. His heart skipped a beat and he shut his eyes. "I'm working closely with Detective Malone. He wants me to become a police officer, or maybe even to join the FBI. He's taking me under his wing." He wasn't sure if that information was safe to give out; but his desire to talk to Jade overrode his logic. "I probably shouldn't say that."

"It's okay. Beck, I think…I think Trina wants out. She knows what happened to Jason."

"Yeah…that was a bad thing all around."

"Beck…if you want to join the police force, I will support you on that. I think it would be fantastic." He wanted to, at least it gave him some sort of goal to shoot for. "I can't wait to see you again."

"Same here."

"Be careful. Trina mentioned a trap Tori had planned for you…I think she's not looking for it to happen. Beck, I trust you. I believe in you. I want you to come back to me, alive."

"I will do my best." He paused, his mind drifting back to Tiffany. He didn't want to frighten Jade, but at the same time, she needed honesty. "There's something you need to know. Someone else has joined us, wanting to save you…to redeem themselves." Jade hesitated.

"Who?"

"Y-Your sister." He heard her breathing sharpen and closed his eyes. "I don't want to scare you. We're reluctant in trusting her, but she seems genuine and remorseful…"

"Remorseful." There was doubt in her tone, and he could have sworn he heard a scoff. "Her?"

"Her story, there's no justification but at least you deserve to know the truth. It was a branch of the Sidero family, the matriarch tricked her, drugged her, forced her to do the things that she'd done. Destroyed her and made her destroy her family too. It's a lot to take in, but you deserve to know what's been happening."

He could make out a light sob that tugged at his heart. "Just be careful Beck. I-I don't want her to hurt anyone else I care about."

"I'll make sure we keep our eyes on her. So far, she's been a good help; but we're still watchful."

"Okay. I-I have to think about this. Beck, please just be careful and come back to me in one piece."

"I will."

"I love you."

"I love you." He smiled through his tears, almost tasting of their sweetness. The line ended on her end but he continued to hold the phone up to his ear, as if expecting to hear her voice once more. He tried everything he could not to break down and cry.

The one bright spot in his mind was that she was safe, and perhaps Trina would keep her safe.

He turned his attention to Gary, who was standing nearby with his arms crossed and eyes focused on him. "I'm guessing Jade got through to you?" He nodded slowly and started to tell Gary all that he'd learned. "We should be able to use some of that. If Tori won't talk, knowing that we already have the location gives us an advantage."

"She might be firm in that position, but she's young. She's still impulsive and irrational." He pushed his phone into his pocket and shrugged. "We might be able to get to her."

"True, and she's underestimated all of you. She couldn't have known you'd fight back. Chances are she already thinks you're a step ahead, so keep her thinking that. Make her think everything's already found out, that there's no way out."

"Corner her then."

"Basically."

They went on with their interrogations, starting first with Mr. Vega. Unsurprisingly, he wasn't budging and spilled very little despite the evidence piled up against him. While Beck was trying to goad him into spilling the beans about Jade, Gary wanted him to talk about Raul. Neither of which David discussed, and ultimately the interrogation ended when he decided to ask for a lawyer.

Tori was a different case. She was strong and firm, resolute in her position; but from what Beck could see, she was already fragile. She could be cracked, and he aimed to ensure that happened. He wanted to first give her a false sense of security, make her believe they had nothing; and then hit her with everything they had.

"You have nothing," Tori remarked with a coldness in her voice that Beck had never before heard. She was far different from the warm, bubbly girl he once knew. Of course, he wasn't stupid enough to deny it had all been a ruse. "Why am I to be arrested for my father's actions?"

She had a lawyer present, as was legally required, however she paid him no mind and continued to berate him into silence. Perhaps due to overconfidence, she felt she could say anything as they had nothing.

"You don't deny your father's crimes?"

"I didn't say I didn't." Tori crossed her arms. "I'm merely asking. What could you possibly have against me? Nothing."

"We have evidence of your actions within this city, evidence that you were not only fully aware of your father's activities, but a willing participant and leader yourself." Tori scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"I'm guessing you're the good cop, huh Beck?" Tori smiled at him and he suppressed an angry growl. "Shouldn't be surprised, you're sounding all sweet and nice in questioning. I'm waiting for Detective Malone to start in with the aggression."

"Underestimating me as always." Beck rose up slowly and leaned over, then slammed his hands on the table so loud that Tori practically jumped out of her feet. He smirked as the smile on her face faded. "No. He's the good cop today." Beck motioned a finger at her and narrowed his eyes. "We want you to tell us what you know. We know you're a part of the Sidero family, we know you were put in charge of Los Angeles."

"You know nothing."

Gary walked around the table and sat on the corner, sighing as he crossed his legs and folded his arms on his knees. "Look Tori. You're young. You'll get Juvie at minimal. The more you give us, the more time might possibly be shaved off your sentence." Tori chuckled coldly and leaned away from him.

"I suppose that means you expect me to spill all? For what, a few short years? Come now, I already know how America's justice system works-I'll be in and out in a year's time regardless." Gary rolled his eyes and Beck started to growl.

Gary shook his head. "You need to understand, the lives that are affected by all of this."

"Why should I give a fuck?"

"Because all of this has led you to lose people as well. Hasn't it? If you help us now, we can insure no further harm comes to anybody else."

"Expect me to rat out my own family?"

"Trina seems pretty quick to rat you out," Beck announced mercilessly. Tori's head snapped into his direction as he narrowed his glare on her. "She informed us that the hostages you have taken were your very idea."

"She would never turn on me."

"No? You don't believe she would? After all, this lust for revenge has led to her very fiancé being killed."

Tori's eyes widened and she stammered for words. "Jason? He's gone?"

"Cat found him." Tori cupped her hands over her mouth. Beck locked his hands behind his back and paced a few steps to the left. "Seems she was a trained assassin, had some kind of beef with her family. Wanted vengeance of her own for what the Sidero family did to her…So when she escaped custody, she hunted down your family until she found Jason."

"But-I didn't intend-"

"Seems that's what happens," Gary responded softly. There was a sadness in his tone and a softness in his eyes. Tori looked to him with a growing frown and began to shake. "When someone lashes out in vengeance, hatred and rage consumes them to the point everybody suffers. Even those that we never wanted to harm may fall victim to our whims."

"But he…he and Trina…I just wanted to avenge the loss dealt to them." Tori leaned forward, her eyes quivering as a whimper fell from her lips. "Trina lost that baby. She lost that baby because of you, because of all of you. She and Jason, they went through so much pain after that. I hated you." Tori growled at Beck. "I wanted all of you to suffer, to die."

"When we're angry, we're irrational. We don't think about the consequences." Gary cleared his throat once more and shrugged. "Seems like no one realized that Miss Valentine was a trained killer herself."

"I'll have her killed."

Beck sneered at her. "She's already dead." Tori froze and Beck sliced his hand through the air. "End your game, Vega. It's over."

"No it's not." Tori leaned forward, grinning from ear to ear. "You still don't know where your precious Jade is."

Beck smirked back. "That's where you're wrong." He leaned forward, glaring into Tori's cold eyes until she flinched and looked away. "She's in Spain. Madrid." Tori gasped and glanced back at him, a sign that he was right. "She's with Trina."

"Funny. Trina is in charge of the Sidero family." Beck raised his eyebrows and chuckled. "And you'd be too late anyway. Uncle Raul's already in DC, plotting to influence the upcoming presidential election. Pretty soon, we'll be in charge of the entire country!" She started to laugh.

Gary closed his eyes. "Is that so? How do you figure that will come to pass? How could the Sidero possibly guarantee the next election?"

"Because the opposing candidate, Raul is going to have our hitman assassinate. Our candidate will win, our candidate is in our pocket. So many Senators, Congressmen, Governors…Uncle Raul has extensive plans-" She stopped, her eyes growing wider as her mouth hung open. Her lawyer was beside himself at this point, hunched over with his head buried in his hands. Realization seemed to dawn over her as both Gary and Beck smiled at her. "I think I'll start listening to my lawyer now."

"Good choice," Beck whispered, "You might need to." The pair walked out in triumph, having just received confirmation and evidence of a conspiracy to take the election.

As they stepped into the hallway, Beck turned towards Gary. "So, looks like you should have no problem taking Raul's family into custody." Gary nodded.

"Tori just gave us a smoking gun. I'll be letting my contacts in the FBI know and flying out to D.C. sooner than expected then." Gary placed a hand on Beck's shoulder. "Will you be joining me on this trip?" He shook his head, already knowing in his heart where he wanted to go.

"No, I need to move for Jade. I havv4ere to bring her home."

"I won't stop you."

"All respect due..." He smiled briefly and shook Gary's hand firmly, looking him in the eyes. "I don't think you could." Gary chuckled and smiled back.

"No. I look forward to seeing you bring her back home. You've a bright future ahead of you, Beck. I see great potential in you. Stay safe. I'd send some of my officers with you, but they won't have jurisdiction of course."

"I was hoping you had contacts overseas."

"Yeah, I do, but military. I can't command them either, so it's unlikely I'd be able to help." Gary frowned, much to Beck's dismay. He was on his but not entirely. "Take some of your strongest allies…"

"I know who to take with me." Robbie and Andre wouldn't want to sit out on rescuing Jade, and as much as he'd like to, he knew he wouldn't be able to keep Tiffany from joining them. "We'll get her back."

* * *

Thoughts?


	34. All That Matters

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 34 (All That Matters)

His first step in Spain was filled with anxiety, he had no notion of what to expect or if he was legitimately walking directly into a trap. For all he knew, Trina could have forced Jade to say anything to draw him in; but there was a note of sincerity that made him trust what Jade was saying.

He kept his eye on Tiffany, however, because she still refused to believe any of it. Andre and Robbie were skeptical as well, but it didn't seem to impede their resolve.

Breathing in the air, Beck could sense that the ordeal was nearly over. They weren't by themselves either, their allies were hidden though. Andre had gathered those among the gangland that had survived and were able to purchase tickets to come; and of course the two mafia families siding with them had sent along some of their own people. Although, Sam and Freddie had, understandably, opted to sit this one out and begin their journey home. Beck felt as though they'd done enough and didn't want to involve them more than necessary, especially since they both had been wanting _out_ of the mafia world.

Their spies had located the center compound, and this was likely to be a bloody fight. There was no telling how Trina might act; but chances were she had plenty of guards and people that would stand in the way regardless of their boss's feelings.

"I don't care if Jade never wants to see me again," Tiffany uttered, "The last thing I can do for her is get her out of this hell." The girl moved first, walking fast in front of them. Beck shared a curious look with Andre, then glanced over as Robbie passed between them.

"They stole everything." Robbie growled and turned his head over his shoulder. "Are you two coming or not?" Andre moved forward and Beck first sighed before beginning his approach.

The compound was roughly two hours away from the airport, on the outskirts of Madrid. However, no sooner than they exited their vehicle did they see a teenage girl standing before them with a group of armed men and women. Beck raised his eyebrows at this girl, noting how similar she looked to Tori and Trina. Her hair was up in two buns, her brown eyes were sharp and piercing, and she had freckles dotting her nose and cheeks.

"You'll go no further," the girl stated without hesitation. She had a gun at her waist and a hand resting on its handle. "I know what you're here for." Not wanting an all out war just yet, Beck raised his hands to show he was unarmed and moved forward.

"We only want Jade. Nothing else." He moved his hand to his chest. "I'm Beck. What is your name?" The girl cocked her head to the right.

"Monique. My parents are Raul and Ramona. His mouth formed an oval and he looked over his shoulders at the others, they appeared to be waiting for him to say something. He hadn't thought about any of the sisters' cousins, much less the young ones. Monique couldn't be any older than Tori.

He looked back at the girl. "What are you doing here, when your parents are in the states?"

"Visiting my cousin, Anthony." She frowned. "He's grieving you know, you killed his parents."

"His parents?"

"You remember them. Manuel and Mary." His jaw fell open and he heard Tiffany scoff.

"They deserved their death," Tiffany answered. Monique shifted a glare to Tiffany and her hand tightened around the handle of her gun. "The shit they caused…."

"Oh you'll regret that." Monique whipped her weapon out and fired a shot, so fast that everyone missed the action. Tiffany moved to the side a bit, getting shot in the left shoulder. She hissed violently and unsheathed her blade.

"I don't think so." Before Tiffany could lunge, a knife slipped past her, causing her to jump back. Beck turned his head and saw a boy, no older than fourteen, stepping out of the shadows. He was rotund, his head shaven into a buzz, and the space between his eyebrows was creased in anger. "Shit."

"Who are you to talk about my parents like that?" Anthony had two belts going around his body, and attached to those belts were many knives. Beck felt his blood run cold and took a few steps back, watching as the soldiers around Monique readied their own weapons.

"This was not what needed to happen."

"Too late now," Andre muttered. The man raised his hand and cried out at the top of his lungs. "To action!" Beck threw his hands over his head and quickly dove out of the way. Several of Andre's gang started rushing out of the shadows, along with the people sent by the Bensons and the Pucketts.

Monique and Anthony growled vehemently and those with them began unloading their weapons. Beck watched in horror as blood and smoke filled the air, though to his surprise, Tiffany wasn't in the fray. She was off to the side, holding her wound with her hand and wincing. Blood was pulsing between her fingers and she was staring at it with a look of horror.

"Tiffany? What the hell?" Tiffany pulled her gaze away.

"Sorry. Wound's deep, burns like shit. Something's not right, though." Beck hurried over and peeled away Tiffany's shirt from her shoulder. He was horrified to see darkening skin around the wound, and cracks beginning to spread out. "I think those bullets are laced with some sort of poison. Can't tell."

"Son of a bitch." Beck turned around and screamed at Andre and Robbie. "Guys watch out! Their bullets might contain poison!" He heard a painful cry that chilled him to the core. His heart stopped and he watched as Anthony dug a knife deep into Robbie's backside. When the boy stepped away, Robbie crumpled to the ground. "No. Shit!"

"I don't care." Robbie whipped out two semi-automatic weapons from his jeans and began firing. To Beck's horror, he watched as Anthony's body jerked with each shot. "Fuck you!" Anthony collapsed to the ground and Robbie continued to put bullet after bullet into the body. "That's for Cat, motherfucker."

"Enough! Robbie, enough!" Beck knelt next to his friend, imploring him to cease fire. Robbie did so eventually and looked up, smoke bleeding from his guns.

"I'm sorry Beck." Beck pushed his hands under Robbie's back and furrowed his brow. Blood dribbled from Robbie's lips and he turned his head towards the skies. "I'll go to be with Cat. I don't care what happens to me, just get Jade out of this hell."

"You'll be okay. Robbie, please."

"No. It has to be like this. I have nothing else." There was too much going on around to react; but despair came over him as a heaviness like no other. He let his friend's body lay back on the ground while his tears stung his cheeks.

Behind him, Tiffany breathed heavily, sweat running down her face. Many of Andre's gang were suffering similarly. Beck had to get them out of this, one way or another.

Watching the life leave Robbie's gaze filled him with rage, however. He could feel his muscles tensing as his stomach pushed up the bile inside him. Seeing the dwindling numbers on Monique's side, the fire in his eyes burned as he watched her continue to gun down the gang members.

Andre rolled out of the way, ducking behind a nearby tree while Monique turned her guns towards Tiffany. "Well hello." Monique started to cackle as Tiffany slowly reached for her sword. "Realizing the inevitable? I knew you lot were getting close to the compound, so I came prepared. Where others failed, I would not."

Tiffany pushed herself to her feet, using the sword as support. She was trembling and clutching her wounded shoulder, making several frantic breaths. Monique tilted her head to the back and laughed. "Oh I'd love to watch you struggle, but I can't take the chance." Beck snarled as he stared down the girl from behind. "That poison you feel in your bloodstream? Yeah, it's fast-acting." Monique raised another weapon and fired another shot. Beck's eyes widened in horror as he watched blood spurt from Tiffany's left side, just near her armpit. "If only my aunt was alive to see the moment you squirm in pain…"

Sweat ran down Beck's face as he looked to Robbie's still corpse. His anger was growing fierce and he could no longer hold back. He'd hoped to try reasoning, but now he saw there was no reasoning with insanity.

He yanked a pair of knives off Anthony's corpse and bolted for Monique, screaming at the top of his lungs. Monique turned her head, but couldn't react in time to avoid him sinking the two blades into her back like the fangs of a snake. Her body lurched forward as he sliced down with all his strength, then pulled the blades away.

Blood dripped from the knives and heavy pants fell from his lips as he watched the enemy sink to her knees. The ambush was over, but it didn't feel like it. He wanted to sink the blades into her again, but knew better.

Andre poked his head into view and let out a long whistle. "Jesus Beck…" Beck threw the knives to the side with a scoff.

"Let's keep moving. Someone needs to take Tiffany to the hospital. Fast."

Tiffany winced and took a step forward. "No," she replied, "I can't do that." A vein started to bulge from Beck's forehead and he swung his hands outwards.

"You're dying, Tiffany."

"I don't care. If I'm going to die, I'm going to do it after I see that my sister is safe."

"Tiff-"

"You're not stopping me." She limped forward, slowly passing him by. He could see the poison was affecting her physically, but certainly it was getting to her mentally as well. She was usually more reasonable; granted she wanted to stop at nothing to rescue Jade, she often realized that death would keep her from this goal.

They pushed onwards, licking their wounds a great deal. It pained him to leave Robbie's body behind, but he knew they'd collect it later. He kept his eyes on Tiffany as they passed through the gates of the compound, it seemed every step was affecting her. She was slowing down, complaining about her vision, and eventually she was beginning to mumble through her words.

Andre kept guard as they snuck through the compound. Shockingly, there weren't many guards present or even reacting. By the time they reached the front door of the mansion, Beck was feeling confident yet nervous. He had to wonder if there was truly a trap waiting for him.

"You should do something about that woman's wounds," Someone said from behind. Beck's head jerked up and he spun around, holding his breath as his eyes fell into Trina's. Jade stood beside her, holding her left hand around her right wrist. She had a faint smile as she met Beck's gaze. "You've come for Jade, I assume."

"Yeah." He walked forward, stopping a few feet away. "No tricks." He raised his hands and took a deep breath. "Just let her come home." Tears filled his eyes as he looked towards his girlfriend. Trina blinked twice and turned her head to the side, looking at Jade cautiously.

"Jade. I told you something recently." Jade looked to Trina and gave a subtle nod. "Do you yet trust him?" Beck furrowed his brow and pressed his lips firmly together, holding in the air in his mouth. Jade nodded again.

"I do. I believe him, I believe he would never do anything to hurt me. He won't lie to me, won't deceive me."

"Okay."

"What is this?" Beck asked. Trina looked back at him and extended an arm.

"If I wanted you dead, Beck, you would already be dead. I'm sorry that Monique and Anthony ambushed you, I was not anticipating that." Trina walked forward, looking from him to Jade, then back. "Revenge has done too much to too many. I'm hurting because of what happened to Jason, but I do not wish to further the cycle of revenge."

"No?" He raised an eyebrow. "What about Tori? If not for her, Cat would not have encountered Jason."

"You're right." Trina sighed. "Broke my heart, Tori, she broke my heart." He leaned his head back, waiting with baited breath. Trina looked over at Jade, giving a simple nod. "Go on Jade. You're free, live your life and let your child live too."

"Thank you," Jade answered. Beck heard a shuffling sound behind him and started to glance back, but his focus returned to Jade, who was now moving towards him. She looked beautiful despite the ordeal, and stunningly looked so at peace.

His heart beat with each step she took and he extended his arms, waiting until she moved into them and embraced him as well. Her arms tightened around him and she began to flood his shoulders with tears.

Trina turned around, looking off into the wind. "I never want to see any of you again," Trina stated, "The Sidero family ends here. I won't let my child enter into this life."

"Not a chance," Tiffany growled from behind. Beck froze, his eyes darting to the side as a sense of fear filled his heart. "The Sidero destroyed me, destroyed my family, destroyed everything. You won't escape into the shadows. Not for what you did to my father, my mother, my sister, to me…"

"Wait, Tiffany no." Beck started to pull away and Jade cried out.

"Hold on!"

Tiffany lunged forward, screaming as loud as she could as she plunged her sword through Trina's backside and out her stomach. Trina cried out in alarm, blood slashing out into the sky and onto the ground. Tiffany was panting heavily, her body cold with sweat and her eyes flickering with insanity as the potion reared its final, ugly head.

"This is my vengeance. Taking out every last member of the Sidero clan to it's head, saving my sister from you bastards before you fuck her over again."

"She let me go." Jade turned around, dropping to her knees and screaming as Trina sank to her knees. "She was letting me go! She was going to take her baby and-and-" Jade moved her hands in front of her face, crying into them. "Oh god, why!"

"Shit!" Beck lunged forward, grabbing Tiffany's shoulder and yanking her back. "I knew I should have forced you to go to that hospital! The potion's driven you mad!" Tiffany fell onto her back, dropping her sword and sprawling her arms out. Her vacant expression stared into the sky as her lips started to bubble and foam.

Trina knelt on the floor nearby, clutching her wound and screaming in anguish as blood pooled beneath her. Jade ran to the girl, throwing her arms around her. "Trina, oh god I'm so sorry." Tiffany started to cringe, turning her head away.

"Even in the end of my life," Tiffany whispered, "My sister chooses to embrace a true monster over me. In death, I am not to be forgiven; but at least she is safe."

Beck knelt next to her, throwing an arm over his knee and staring down at her with great pity. He shook his head slowly as he listened to Jade's weeping. "No Tiffany. Trina wasn't a monster. Neither are you; but ironically, drugs have once again forced you into making a bad decision." Tiffany's eyes moved slowly until they met his. "You meant well, but you couldn't see…"

Jade wiped away her tears and hugged her stomach. "I don't hate you," she said while struggling over her words. "Tiffany, I don't hate you. I'm glad you wanted to save me…" Tiffany chuckled vainly as Trina lay on the ground in a pool of blood.

"No release for troubled older sisters, it seems…"

"We're all troubled to an extent," Beck replied. He opened his hand, letting his fingers hang above Tiffany as he watched her vacant gaze. "There's no monster inside of us, no good and no evil. We're human, trying to make it through this world the best that we can, trying to survive, doing whatever we think is the best decision to make it ahead." He reached down, placing his hand on her forehead. "Most of us make the wrong decision, and we have to pay for it. Sometimes our choices in life make others suffer, whether we intended it or not. In the end, all we can really do is try our best to do right…"

He slid his hand down her face, closing her eyes. "Rest in peace. No one here can judge you now."

He moved towards Jade, taking a seat beside her and pulling her into his arms. She wept to the point she could barely speak. No words were needed, however. "It's over," he whispered. He looked at Trina with a frown. There was no life left in the woman, just another victim of a vengeful, wrathful soul.

Yes, she was a criminal herself and in charge of one of the deadliest mafia families on the planet; but in the end she was human. The same was to be said of Tiffany, who wanted nothing more than redemption and protecting her sister, riddled with the guilt of her past actions. They'd all made their choices in life, mistakes or not. Perhaps it all meant something, perhaps not; the important thing was those left were alive and now needed to find a way to pick up the pieces.

The plane ride home was silent and long, and Jade had finally stopped crying, having fallen asleep on Beck's shoulder. Andre was focused on a book while Beck watched the clouds and landscape outside. It was hard to take it all in, as he was still left with his thoughts.

Tori was dead now, he'd been notified by Gary, somehow a letter had slipped past the guards in the jail. They did not the poison hidden within, leading to Tori breathing it in. Prison guards found her on her cell floor, eyes rolled back and foam spilling from her mouth as her body twitched and convulsed. She clutched the letter in her hands, of which the only words were: "You broke my heart, Tori."

Perhaps it was for the best. With her, the cycle of revenge was broken. Gary and the FBI would succeed in their latest goal, catching Raul and taking him off the streets; and the Sidero family would soon be wiped away.

He didn't care anymore. He didn't care about any of it. All that mattered was the girl asleep on his shoulder, and his child that lay growing within her. Gazing at her with a loving smile, he leaned over and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead.

* * *

It was intense, though the fight went quick. Not without casualties, and it would seem those who sought revenge the most are the ones for whom their lives were lost. Trina was going to escape that life, and maybe Tiffany wouldn't have acted so hastily if the poison hadn't impaired her judgment, but who can say for sure? If you know the Godfather well enough you may have caught the reference as you see that Tori herself has not managed to escape unscathed. Revenge simply does not pay out.


	35. Moving Forward

Targeted

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

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Chapter 35 (Moving Forward)

A year later Beck held the love of his life in his arms while in his parents' backyard. His baby girl babbled happily, her arms swinging in the air. The smell of barbecue and chicken filled his nostrils and he closed his eyes, taking it all in.

Jade sat nearby, focused intensely on the book in her hands. She'd taken a greater joy in reading as of late, becoming engrossed in drama and romance. Nearby, Beck's father prepared food on his newest outdoor grill, laughing with Jade's father. The pair were becoming fast friends, and looking forward to a lifetime of such.

Their daughter had been named Katrina, because Jade wanted to name her child after the woman who protected her through her greatest trial. At the same time, Beck thought Jade was looking at it in the perspective of giving her a second chance, as if Trina could be resurrected in the form of their daughter. Regardless, the meaning was not lost to him.

They would be getting married soon, and were looking forward to college. Jade still struggled with nightmares and whatnot, but she'd become so much stronger, choosing not to let what she'd gone through impair her from actually living her life. "Have you talked to Andre lately?" Jade looked up and over at Beck with a faint smile.

He smiled back and nodded. "He's having the time of his life. Apparently, he's joined a jazz band like his father did." Jade raised her eyebrows and smiled more, laughing lightly.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?"

Andre moved away with his mother, and now lived in New Orleans. "He's studying music, but then, can't say I'm shocked. The piano's always relaxed him, and he needs that in his life now." Things had changed a great deal for Andre, because he stepped away from the gang life and actually seemed to get something out of focusing on his family. "He's met someone too."

"He has?" Jade shut her book and leaned forward. "He's got a girlfriend? A _serious_ one?" Beck laughed and nodded his head. It was shocking to him too, he never expected Andre to be the one to settle down.

"A girl named Taylor. She lived in the old building his family had." It seemed to be a chance meeting, but Andre said he felt like there was something more at work. He went to see what the building looked like now, and almost instantly felt drawn to Taylor's place. "He said the minute he saw her, that was it, the connection was instantaneous."

"Hope it works out for him." Beck nodded, agreeing.

He missed Andre, perhaps more than Jade did, but was glad his friend was able to move on and live his life. His worry had always been for Jade, though; but she proved able to rise up. Cat's death hit her hard, and Beck remembered holding her at the girl's grave. Jade still went to the cemetery from time to time, opting to place flowers at everyone's grave.

Sometimes, it was hard to believe it was over. The election had come and gone, without the Sidero puppet even being considered. Both David and Raul were serving life sentences in prison, likely both broken up by the loss of their children.

Jade rarely spoke about her ordeal anymore. She'd dealt with her therapist, and that was about it. Of course, she'd been fortunate that Trina was so concerned for her wellbeing that she kept her from harm, otherwise things might have been that much worse.

Eventually she did come to forgive her sister, or at the very least, not wanting to let the things Tiffany had done rule over her emotions any longer. She'd even forgiven Tori. Granted, none of this meant she was without her own issues that she had to work through, but she was getting better every day. Hell, she wasn't even paranoid about Beck anymore, opting to talk through things rather than jump to conclusions.

"Chief Malone is still working on cleaning up both the streets of LA and the police," Jade said. Beck smiled with pride and nodded, having kept up with the news. "I'm impressed, and glad for it." It took some convincing to get Gary to actually step up and vie for the position; but after his handling of David and the Sidero family, the people loved him. It seemed there was no true choice but to have him appointed to Chief of Police.

That left Beck as his protégé of sorts. "Well, you know how it goes, the people wanted a hero up there. It got to the point the Mayor had to appoint him to the position." He laughed softly and bounced his daughter on his knee. "I think a mob would have broken out if the Mayor _didn't_ put him in that spot." Jade laughed a bit and covered her mouth with her hand.

"He deserves it. I can't think of anyone more deserving, you know. We have him to thank for everything."

"If it wasn't for him, it would have been a lot harder to fight those people. Corruption was everywhere, and still is to an extent."

"That won't ever go away. Not completely, anyway." As long as people in power could be bribed or coerced by criminals, corruption would remain. It was easier to try and weed out those who were corrupt, and continue to be vigilant; but one would have to always be vigilant. "I'm looking forward to when you get on the force. You won't be corrupt, I'm sure."

Beck smile and reached his hand over, taking Jade's and giving it a quick squeeze. Their daughter curled on his chest and started to doze off. "By the way, are you going out with the girls on Saturday?" Jade's face lit up and she nodded. Jade had managed to make some new friends at school, friends who seemed interested in the same stuff she was. They were good people, and Beck encouraged her to give them a chance-something that proved great as they've been nothing but great for the last several months.

"We're checking out this new karaoke place. You should come!"

"I might, if I can get through the project Gary's given me." Jade frowned, but responded with an understanding nod. Things were getting busy for him now that Gary set his sights on him. He had schoolwork to deal with on one hand, a part time job working in at the police station doing some simple chores here and there, and then 'homework' given to him by Gary. This usually consisted of questions formulated through a textbook Gary had him read through. He wasn't sure whether Gary was trying to prepare him for college or the workforce, or both.

"As long as you get some time to relax. He doesn't make you have any deadlines, right?"

"Once in a while. It depends, really…" Deadlines came if Gary thought he was slacking off. "I respect what he has me do though, he's taught me a lot." Jade leaned her head over, resting it on his shoulder.

"Good." Jade was more concerned with wanting him to make some friends around town. With Andre gone and Robbie dead, he didn't have people to hang out with. However, his part-time job at the office gave him connections to people who were becoming friends. He'd also found like-minded people at school that were becoming fast friends, people interested in going the same route he was. "I believe in you Beck. I know you'll do great regardless."

"I hope so." He chuckled once and gazed lovingly at her. "It wasn't a fluke that Gary saw some potential in me. I hope, anyway."

"You'll always be a hero in my eyes, so no, no fluke." She pecked him on the lips and turned her head towards their fathers. The barbecue was starting to smell fantastic, and their stomachs were both growling. "Smells great, Dad!" Henry gazed at his daughter with a bright expression and popped up a thumb.

"Just a couple more minutes," Henry replied. None were as happy as this man, to have his daughter back alive and to be a grandfather. He'd once been so stern and hard-seeming, but now he seemed just the opposite.

It was no 'happily-ever-after', and everyone was still picking up the pieces even now; but perhaps this was the closest to a happy end that they could get. For all that seemed to matter to anyone was being at peace and being able to live their lives. No one had to worry any longer, or at least, none would allow worry to impair the rest of their lives. No, this was taking back their lives after tragedy, staring it in the face and remaining victorious.

For that was what they were, victorious, alive and moving forward.

* * *

So we come to the conclusion of this tale. I certainly hope you enjoyed it, and I'm grateful to all who read along, and stuck with it of course. Hope to see your input on other tales and epics.


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